•nammitiafimimmuHmmmmmmmmi^iimmatii 


'TWIXTLAND 

AND_SEA 

JOSEPH  CONRAD 


itimtmmimmmiMmmMmmmi^mummmmm 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 
From  the  Library  of 
ERMA  ARNSTEIN 


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U   fliUA.    N 


;  • :. 


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*TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 


BY 

JOSEPH  CONRAD 


Life  is  a  tragic  folly 
Let  iM  laugh  and  be  jolly 
Away  with  melancholy 
Bring  me  a  branch  of  holly 
Life  ie  a  tragic  folly 

A,  Stkoks. 


HODDER  &  STOUGHTON 

NEW  YORK 

GEORGE  H.  DORAN  COMPANY 


Copyright,  1912 
By  George  H.  Doran  Company 


TO 
CAPTAIN  C.  M.  HARRIS 

LATE  MASTER  AND  OWNER 

OP  THE 

JLnA.BY  MAID:  ARCHIPELAGO  TRADER 

IN  MEMORY  OP  THOSE 

OLD  DAYS  OP  ADVENTURE 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

A  Smile  op  Fortune 9 

The  Secret  Sharer     .     .     .     .     .     ..,     .     .     .  113 

Freya  of  the  Seven  Islhs     .     .     .     .;    :.     .     .  179 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE 
HARBOUR  STORY 


A  SMILE  OP  FOETUNE 

EVEK  since  the  sun  rose  I  had  been  looking 
ahead.  The  ship  glided  gently  in  smooth  water. 
After  a  sixty  days'  passage  I  was  anxious  to  make  my 
landfall,  a  fertile  and  beautiful  island  of  the  tropics. 
The  more  enthusiastic  of  its  inhabitants  delight  in 
describing  it  as  the  "  Pearl  of  the  Ocean."  Well,  let  us 
call  it  the  "  Pearl."  It's  a  good  name.  A  pearl  dis- 
tilling much  sweetness  upon  the  world. 

This  is  only  a  way  of  telling  you  that  first-rate 
sugar-cane  is  grown  there.  All  the  population  of  the 
Pearl  lives  for  it  and  by  it.  Sugar  is  their  daily 
bread,  as  it  were.  And  I  was  coming  to  them  for  a 
cargo  of  sugar  in  the  hope  of  the  crop  having  been  good 
and  of  the  freights  being  high. 

Mr.  Burns,  my  chief  mate,  made  out  the  land  first; 
and  very  soon  I  became  entranced  by  this  blue, 
pinnacled  apparition,  almost  transparent  against  the 
light  of  the  sky,  a  mere  emanation,  the  astral  body  of 
an  island  risen  to  greet  me  from  afar.  It  is  a  rare 
phenomenon,  such  a  sight  of  the  Pearl  at  sixty  miles 
off.  And  I  wondered  half  seriously  whether  it  was  a 
good  omen,  whether  what  would  meet  me  in  that 
island  would  be  as  luckily  exceptional  as  this  beautiful, 
dreamlike  vision  so  very  few  seamen  have  been 
privileged  to  behold. 

9 


10  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

But  horrid  thoughts  of  business  interfered  with  my 
enjoyment  of  an  accomplished  passage.  I  was  anxious 
for  success  and  I  wished,  too,  to  do  justice  to  the  flat- 
tering latitude  of  my  owners'  instructions  contained  in 
one  noble  phrase :  "  We  leave  it  to  you  to  do  the  best 
you  can  with  the  ship."  .  .  .  All  the  world  being  thus 
given  me  for  a  stage,  my  abilities  appeared  to  me  no 
bigger  than  a  pinhead. 

Meantime  the  wind  dropped,  and  Mr.  Bums  began 
to  make  disagreeable  remarks  about  my  usual  bad  luck. 
I  believe  it  was  his  devotion  for  me  which  made  him 
critically  outspoken  on  every  occasion.  All  the  same, 
I  would  not  have  put  up  with  his  humours  if  it  had  not 
been  my  lot  at  one  time  to  nurse  him  through  a  desperate 
illness  at  sea.  After  snatching  him  out  of  the  jaws  of 
death,  so  to  speak,  it  would  have  been  absurd  to  throw 
away  such  an  efficient  officer.  But  sometimes  I  wished 
he  would  dismiss  himself. 

We  were  late  in  closing  in  with  the  land,  and  had  to 
anchor  outside  the  harbour  till  next  day.  An  unpleas- 
ant and  unrestful  night  followed.  In  this  roadstead, 
strange  to  us  both.  Bums  and  I  remained  on  deck  almost 
all  the  time.  Clouds  swirled  down  the  porphyry  crags 
under  which  we  lay.  The  rising  wind  made  a  great 
bullying  noise  amongst  the  naked  spars,  with  interludes 
of  sad  moaning.  I  remarked  that  we  had  been  in  luck 
to  fetch  the  anchorage  before  dark.  It  would  have  been 
a  nasty,  anxious  night  to  hang  off  a  harbour  under  can- 
vas. But  my  chief  mate  was  uncompromising  in  his 
attitude. 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  11 

"  Luck,  you  call  it,  sir !  Ay  —  our  usual  luck.  The 
sort  of  luck  to  thank  God  it's  no  worse !  " 

And  so  he  fretted  through  the  dark  hours,  while  I 
drew  on  my  fund  of  philosophy.  Ah,  but  it  was  an 
exasperating,  weary,  endless  night,  to  be  lying  at  anchor 
close  under  that  black  coast !  The  agitated  water  made 
snarling  sounds  all  round  the  ship.  At  times  a  wild 
gust  of  wind  out  of  a  gully  high  up  on  the  cliiffs  struck 
on  our  rigging  a  harsh  and  plaintive  note  like  the  wail 
of  a  forsaken  souL 


By  half-past  seven  in  the  morning,  the  ship  being 
then  inside  the  harbour  at  last  and  mobred  within  a 
long  stone's-throw  from  the  quay,  my  stock  of  philosophy 
was  nearly  exhausted.  I  was  dressing  hurriedly  in  my 
cabin  when  the  steward  came  tripping  in  with  a  morn- 
ing suit  over  his  arm. 

Hungry,  tired,  and  depressed,  with  my  head  engaged 
inside  a  white  shirt  irritatingly  stuck  together  by  too 
much  starch,  I  desired  him  peevishly  to  "  heave  round 
with  that  breakfast."  I  wanted  to  get  ashore  as  soon 
?as  possible. 

"  Yes,  sir.  Ready  at  eight,  sir.  There's  a  gentle- 
man from  the  shore  waiting  to  speak  to  you,  sir." 

This  statement  was  curiously  slurred  over.  I  dragged 
the  shirt  violently  over  my  head  and  emerged  staring. 

"  So  early !  "  I  cried.  "  Who's  he  ?  What  does  he 
want?" 


12  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

On  coming  in  from  sea  one  has  to  pick  up  the  condi- 
tions of  an  utterly  unrelated  existence.  Every  little 
event  at  first  has  the  peculiar  emphasis  of  novelty.  I 
was  greatly  surprised  by  that  early  caller ;  but  there  was 
no  reason  for  my  steward  to  look  so  particularly  foolish. 

"  Didn't  you  ask  for  the  name  ? "  I  inquired  in  a 
stem  tone. 

"  His  name's  Jacobus,  I  believe,"  he  mumbled 
shamefacedly. 

"  Mr.  Jacobus !  "  I  exclaimed  loudly,  more  surprised 
than  ever,  but  with  a  total  change  of  feeling.  "  Why 
couldn't  you  say  so  at  once  ?  " 

But  the  fellow  had  scuttled  out  of  my  room. 
Through  the  momentarily  opened  door  I  had  a  glimpse 
of  a  tall,  stout  man  standing  in  the  cuddy  by  the  table 
on  which  the  cloth  was  already  laid ;  a  "  harbour " 
tablecloth,  stainless  and  dazzlingly  white.  So  far 
good. 

I  shouted  courteously  through  the  closed  door,  that 
I  was  dressing  and  would  be  with  him  in  a  moment. 
In  return  the  assurance  that  there  was  no  hurry  reached 
me  in  the  visitor's  deep,  quiet  undertone.  His  time 
was  my  own.  He  dared  say  I  would  give  him  a  cup 
of  coffee  presently. 

"  I  am  afraid  you  will  have  a  poor  breakfast,"  I 
cried  apologetically.  "  We  have  been  sixty-one  days 
at  sea,  you  know." 

A  quiet  little  laugh,  with  a  "  That'll  be  all  right, 
Captain,"  was  his  answer.  All  this,  words,  intonation, 
the  glimpsed  attitude  of  the  man  in  the  cuddy,  had 


A  SMILE  OE  FOETUNE  13 

an  unexpected  character,  a  something  friendly  in  it  — 
propitiatory.  And  my  surprise  was  not  diminished 
thereby.  What  did  this  call  mean?  Was  it  the  sign 
of  some  dark  design  against  my  commercial  inno- 
cence ? 

Ah !  These  conmiercial  interests  —  spoiling  the  finest 
life  under  the  sun.  Why  must  the  sea  be  used  for 
trade  —  and  for  war  as  well  ?  Why  kill  and  traffic  on 
it,  pursuing  selfish  aims  of  no  great  importance  after 
all?  It  would  have  been  so  much  nicer  just  to  sail 
about  with  here  and  there  a  port  and  a  bit  of  land  to 
stretch  one's  legs  on,  buy  a  few  books  and  get  a  change 
of  cooking  for  a  while.  But,  living  in  a  world  more 
or  less  homicidal  and  desperately  mercantile,  it  was 
plainly  my  duty  to  make  the  best  of  its  opportunities. 

My  owners'  letter  had  left  it  to  me,  as  I  have  said 
before,  to  do  my  best  for  the  ship,  according  to  my 
own  judgment.  But  it  contained  also  a  postscript 
worded  somewhat  as  follows: 

"  Without  meaning  to  interfere  with  your  liberty  of 
action  we  are  writing  by  the  outgoing  mail  to  some  of 
our  business  friends  there  who  may  be  of  assistance 
to  you.  We  desire  you  particularly  to  call  on  Mr. 
Jacobus,  a  prominent  merchant  and  charterer.  Should 
you  hit  it  off  with  him  he  may  be  able  to  put  you  in 
the  way  of  profitable  employment  for  the  ship." 

Hit  it  off!  Here  was  the  prominent  creature  abso- 
lutely on  board  asking  for  the  favour  of  a  cup  of 
coffee!  And  life  not  being  a  fairy-tale  the  improba- 
bility of  the  event  almost  shocked  me.     Had  I  dis- 


14  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

covered  an  enchanted  nook  of  the  earth  where  wealthy 
merchants  rush  fasting  on  hoard  ships  before  they  are 
fairly  moored  ?  Was  this  white  magic  or  merely  some 
black  trick  of  trade  ?  I  came  in  the  end  (while  making 
the  bow  of  my  tie)  to  suspect  that  perhaps  I  did  not 
get  the  name  right.  I  had  been  thinking  of  the 
prominent  Mr.  Jacobus  pretty  frequently  during  the 
passage  and  my  hearing  might  have  been  deceived  by 
some  remote  similarity  of  sound.  .  .  .  The  steward 
might  have  said  Antrobus  —  or  maybe  Jackson. 

But  coming  out  of  my  stateroom  with  an  inter- 
rogative "  Mr.  Jacobus  ? "  I  was  met  by  a  quiet 
"  Yes,"  uttered  with  a  gentle  smile.  The  "  yes  "  was 
rather  perfunctory.  He  did  not  seem  to  make  much 
of  the  fact  that  he  was  Mr.  Jacobus.  I  took  stock  of 
a  big,  pale  face,  hair  thin  on  the  top,  whiskers  also 
thin,  of  a  faded  nondescript  colour,  heavy  eyelids. 
The  thick,  smooth  lips  in  repose  looked  as  if  glued 
together.  The  smile  was  faint.  A  heavy,  tranquil 
man.  I  named  my  two  oflficers,  who  just  then  came 
down  to  breakfast;  but  why  Mr.  Bums's  silent  de- 
meanour should  suggest  suppressed  indignation  I  could 
not  understand. 

While  we  were  taking  our  seats  round  the  table 
some  disconnected  words  of  an  altercation  going  on  in 
the  companionway  reached  my  ear.  A  stranger  appar- 
ently wanted  to  come  down  to  interview  me,  and  the 
steward  was  opposing  him. 

"  You  can't  see  him." 

"Why  can't  I?" 


A  SMILE  OF  FOKTUNE  15 

"  The  Captain  is  at  breakfast,  I  tell  you.  He'll  be 
going  on  shore  presently,  and  you  can  speak  to  him  on 
deck." 

"  That's  not  fair.     You  let " 

"  I've  had  nothing  to  do  with  that." 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  have.  Everybody  ought  to  have  the 
same  chance.     You  let  that  fellow " 

The  rest  I  lost.  The  person  having  been  repulsed 
successfully,  the  steward  came  down.  I  can't  say  he 
looked  flushed  —  he  was  a  mulatto  —  but  he  looked 
flustered.  After  putting  the  dishes  on  the  table  he 
remained  by  the  sideboard  with  that  lackadaisical  air 
of  indifference  he  used  to  assume  when  he  had  done 
something  too  clever  by  half  and  was  afraid  of  getting 
into  a  scrape  over  it.  The  contemptuous  expression  of 
Mr.  Bums's  face  as  he  looked  from  him  to  me  was 
really  extraordinary.  I  couldn't  imagine  what  new 
bee  had  stung  the  mate  now. 

The  Captain  being  silent,  nobody  else  cared  to  speak, 
as  is  the  way  in  ships.  And  I  was  saying  nothing 
simply  because  I  had  been  made  dumb  by  the  splendour 
of  the  entertainment.  I  had  expected  the  usual  sea- 
breakfast,  whereas  I  beheld  spread  before  us  a  veritable 
feast  of  shore  provisions:  eggs,  sausages,  butter  which 
plainly  did  not  come  from  a  Danish  tin,  cutlets,  and 
even  a  dish  of  potatoes.  It  was  three  weeks  since  I 
had  seen  a  real,  live  potato.  I  contemplated  them  with 
interest,  and  Mr.  Jacobus  disclosed  himself  as  a  man 
of  human,  homely  sympathies,  and  something  of  a 
thought-reader. 


16  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

"  Try  them,  Captain,"  he  encouraged  me  in  a 
friendly  undertone.     "  They  are  excellent." 

"They  look  that,"  I  admitted.  "Grown  on  the 
island,  I  suppose." 

"  Oh,  no,  imported.  Those  grown  here  would  be 
more  expensive." 

I  was  grieved  at  the  ineptitude  of  the  conversation. 
Were  these  the  topics  for  a  prominent  and  wealthy 
merchant  to  discuss  ?  I  thought  the  simplicity  with 
which  he  made  himself  at  home  rather  attractive;  but 
what  is  one  to  talk  about  to  a  man  who  comes  on  one 
suddenly,  after  sixty-one  days  at  sea,  out  of  a  totally 
unknown  little  town  in  an  island  one  has  never  seen 
before  ?  What  were  (besides  sugar)  the  interests  of  that 
crumb  of  the  earth,  its  gossip,  its  topics  of  conversation  ? 
To  draw  him  on  business  at  once  would  have  been  al- 
most indecent  —  or  even  worse :  impolitic.  All  I  could 
do  at  the  moment  was  to  keep  on  in  the  old  groove. 

"  Are  the  provisions  generally  dear  here  ?  "  I  asked, 
fretting  inwardly  at  my  inanity. 

"  I  wouldn't  say  that,"  he  answered  placidly,  with 
that  appearance  of  saving  his  breath  his  restrained 
manner  of  speaking  suggested. 

He  would  not  be  more  explicit,  yet  he  did  not  evade 
the  subject.  Eyeing  the  table  in  a  spirit  of  complete 
abstemiousness  (he  wouldn't  let  me  help  him  to  any 
eatables)  he  went  into  details  of  supply.  The  beef  was 
for  the  most  part  imported  from  Madagascar;  mutton 
of  course  was  rare  and  somewhat  expensive,  but  good 
goat's  flesh 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  17 

"  Are  these  goat's  cutlets  ? "  I  exclaimed  hastily, 
pointing  at  one  of  the  dishes. 

Posed  sentimentally  by  the  sideboard,  the  steward 
gave  a  start. 

"  Lor',  no,  sir !     It's  real  mutton !  " 

Mr.  Burns  got  through  his  breakfast  impatiently,  as 
if  exasperated  by  being  made  a  party  to  some  mon- 
strous foolishness,  muttered  a  curt  excuse,  and  went  on 
deck.  Shortly  afterwards  the  second  mate  took  his 
smooth  red  countenance  out  of  the  cabin.  With  the 
appetite  of  a  schoolboy,  and  after  two  months  of  sea- 
fare,  he  appreciated  the  generous  spread.  But  I  did 
not.  It  smacked  of  extravagance.  All  the  same,  it 
was  a  remarkable  feat  to  have  produced  it  so  quickly, 
and  I  congratulated  the  steward  on  his  smartness  in  a 
somewhat  ominous  tone.  He  gave  me  a  deprecatory 
smile  and,  in  a  way  I  didn't  know  what  to  make  of, 
blinked  his  fine  dark  eyes  in  the  direction  of  the  guest. 

The  latter  asked  under  his  breath  for  another  cup 
of  coffee,  and  nibbled  ascetically  at  a  piece  of  very 
hard  ship's  biscuit.  I  don't  think  he  consumed  a 
square  inch  in  the  end;  but  meantime  he  gave  me, 
casually  as  it  were,  a  complete  account  of  the  sugar 
crop,  of  the  local  business  houses,  of  the  state  of  the 
freight  market.  All  that  talk  was  interspersed  with 
hints  as  to  personalities,  amounting  to  veiled  warnings, 
but  his  pale,  fleshy  face  remained  equable,  without  a 
gleam,  as  if  ignorant  of  his  voice.  As  you  may  imagine 
I  opened  my  ears  very  wide.  Every  word  was  precious. 
My  ideas  as  to  the  value  of  business  friendship  were 


18  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

being  favourably  modified.  Ho  gave  me  the  names  of 
all  the  disponible  ships  together  with  their  tonnage  and 
the  names  of  their  commanders.  From  that,  which 
was  still  commercial  information,  he  condescended  to 
mere  harbour  gossip.  The  Hilda  had  unaccountably 
lost  her  figurehead  in  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  and  her 
captain  was  greatly  affected  by  this.  He  and  the  ship 
had  been  getting  on  in  years  together  and  the  old 
gentleman  imagined  this  strange  event  to  be  the  fore- 
runner of  his  own  early  dissolution.  The  Stella  had 
experienced  awful  weather  off  the  Cape  —  had  her 
decks  swept,  and  the  chief  officer  washed  overboard. 
And  only  a  few  hours  before  reaching  port  the  baby 

died.     Poor  Captain  H and  his  wife  were  terribly 

cut  up.  If  they  had  only  been  able  to  bring  it  into 
port  alive  it  could  have  been  probably  saved;  but  the 
wind  failed  them  for  the  last  week  or  so,  light  breezes, 
and  .  .  .  the  baby  was  going  to  be  buried  this  after- 
noon.    He  supposed  I  would  attend 

"  Do  you  think  I  ought  to  ? "  I  asked,  shrinkingly. 

He  thought  so,  decidedly.  It  would  be  greatly 
appreciated.  All  the  captains  in  the  harbour  were 
going  to  attend.  Poor  Mrs.  H was  quite  pros- 
trated.    Pretty  hard  on  H altogether. 

"  And  you.  Captain  —  you  are  not  married  J 
suppose  ? " 

"  No,  I  am  not  married,"  I  said.  *'  Neither  mar- 
ried nor  even  engaged. '^ 

Mentally  I  thanked  my  stars;  and  while  he  smiled 
in    a   musing,    dreamy    fashion,    I    expressed   my    ac- 


A  SMILE  OF  FOETUNE  19 

knowledgments  for  his  visit  and  for  the  interesting 
business  information  he  had  been  good  enough  to  im- 
part to  me.     But  I  said  nothing  of  my  wonder  thereat. 

"  Of  course,  I  would  have  made  a  point  of  calling 
on  you  in  a  day  or  two,"  I  concluded. 

He  raised  his  eyelids  distinctly  at  me,  and  somehow 
managed  to  look  rather  more  sleepy  than  before. 

"  In  accordance  with  my  owners'  instructions,"  I 
explained.     "  You  have  had  their  letter,  of  course  ? " 

By  that  time  he  had  raised  his  eyebrows  too  but 
without  any  particular  emotion.  On  the  contrary  he 
struck  me  then  as  absolutely  imperturbable. 

"  Oh !     You  must  be  thinking  of  my  brother." 

It  was  for  me,  then,  to  say  "  Oh ! "  But  I  hope 
that  no  more  than  civil  surprise  appeared  in  my  voice 
when  I  asked  him  to  what,  then,  I  owed  the  pleasure. 
.  .  .  He  was  reaching  for  an  inside  pocket  leisurely. 

"My  brother's  a  very  different  person.  But  I  am 
well  known  in  this  part  of  the  world.  You've  probably 
heard " 

I  took  a  card  he  extended  to  me.  A  thick  business 
card,  as  I  lived!  Alfred  Jacobus  —  the  other  was 
Ernest  —  dealer  in  every  description  of  ship's  stores ! 
Provisions  salt  and  fresh,  oils,  paints,  rope,  canvas, 
etc.,  etc  Ships  in  harbour  victualled  by  contract  on 
moderate  terms 

"  I've  never  heard  of  you,"  I  said  brusquely. 

His  low-pitched  assurance  did  not  abandon  him. 

"  You  will  be  very  well  satisfied,"  he  breathed  out 
quietly. 


20  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

I  was  not  placated.  I  had  the  sense  of  having  been 
circumvented  somehow.  Yet  I  had  deceived  myself  — 
if  there  was  any  deception.  But  the  confounded  cheek 
of  inviting  himself  to  breakfast  was  enough  to  deceive 
any  one.  And  the  thought  struck  me:  Why!  The 
fellow  had  provided  all  these  eatables  himself  in  the 
way  of  business.     I  said: 

"  You  must  have  got  up  mighty  early  this  mom- 
ing." 

He  admitted  with  simplicity  that  he  was  on  the  quay 
before  six  o'clock  waiting  for  my  ship  to  come  in.  He 
gave  me  the  impression  that  it  would  be  impossible  to 
get  rid  of  him  now. 

"  If  you  think  we  are  going  to  live  on  that  scale/* 
I  said,  looking  at  the  table  with  an  irritated  eye,  "  you 
are  jolly  well  mistaken." 

"  You'll  find  it  all  right,  Captain.  I  quite  under- 
stand." 

Nothing  could  disturb  his  equanimity.  I  felt  dis- 
satisfied, but  I  could  not  very  well  fly  out  at  him.  He 
had  told  me  many  useful  things  —  and  besides  he  was 
the  brother  of  that  wealthy  merchant.  That  seemed 
queer  enough. 

I  rose  and  told  him  curtly  that  I  must  now  go 
ashore.  At  once  he  offered  the  use  of  his  boat  for  all 
the  time  of  my  stay  in  port. 

"  I  only  make  a  nominal  charge,"  he  continued 
equably.  "  My  man  remains  all  day  at  the  landing- 
steps.  You  have  only  to  blow  a  whistle  when  you 
want  the  boat." 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  21 

And,  standing  aside  at  every  doorway  to  let  me  go 
through  first,  he  carried  me  off  in  his  custody  after  all. 
As  we  crossed  the  quarter-deck  two  shabby  individuals 
stepped  forward  and  in  mournful  silence  offered  me 
business  cards  which  I  took  from  them  without  a  word 
under  his  heavy  eye.  It  was  a  useless  and  gloomy 
ceremony.  They  were  the  touts  of  the  other  ship- 
chandlers,  and  he,  placid  at  my  back,  ignored  their 
existence. 

We  parted  on  the  quay,  after  he  had  expressed  qui- 
etly the  hope  of  seeing  me  often  "  at  the  store."  He 
had  a  smoking-room  for  captains  there,  with  newspa- 
pers and  a  box  of  "  rather  decent  cigars."  I  left  him 
very  unceremoniously. 

My  consignees  received  me  with  the  usual  business 
heartiness,  but  their  account  of  the  state  of  the  freight- 
market  was  by  no  means  so  favourable  as  the  talk  of 
the  wrong  Jacobus  had  led  me  to  expect.  N^aturally  I 
became  inclined  now  to  put  my  trust  in  his  version, 
rather.  As  I  closed  the  door  of  the  private  office  be- 
hind me  I  thought  to  myself ;  "  H'm.  A  lot  of  lies. 
Commercial  diplomacy.  That's  the  sort  of  thing  a 
man  coming  from  sea  has  got  to  expect.  They  would 
try  to  charter  the  ship  under  the  market  rate." 

In  the  big,  outer  room,  full  of  desks,  the  chief  clerk, 
a  tall,  lean,  shaved  person  in  immaculate  white  clothes 
and  with  a  shiny,  closely-cropped  black  head  on  which 
silvery  gleams  came  and  went,  rose  from  his  place  and 
detained  me  affably.  Anything  they  could  do  for  me, 
they  would  be  most  happy.     Was  I  likely  to  call  again 


80  'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

in  the  afternoon  ?  What  ?  Qoing  to  a  funeral  ?  Oh, 
yes,  poor  Captain  H . 

He  pulled  a  long,  sympathetic  face  for  a  moment, 
then,  dismissing  from  this  workaday  world  the  baby, 
which  had  got  ill  in  a  tempest  and  had  died  from  too 
much  calm  at  sea,  he  asked  me  with  a  dental,  shark- 
like  smile  —  if  sharks  had  false  teeth  —  whether  I  had 
yet  made  my  little  arrangements  for  the  ship's  stay  in 
port 

"  Yes,  with  Jacobus,"  I  answered  carelessly.  "  I 
understand  he's  the  brother  of  Mr.  Ernest  Jacobus  to 
whom  I  have  an  introduction  from  my  owners." 

I  was  not  sorry  to  let  him  know  I  was  not  altogether 
helpless  in  the  hands  of  his  firm.  He  screwed  his  thin 
lips  dubiously. 

"  Why,"  I  cried,  "  isn't  he  the  brother?  " 

"  Oh,  yes.  .  .  .  They  haven't  spoken  to  each  other 
for  eighteen  years,"  he  added  impressively  after  a 
pause. 

"  Indeed !     What's  the  quarrel  about  ?  " 

"  Oh,  nothing !  Nothing  that  one  would  care  to 
mention,"  he  protested  primly.  "  He's  got  quite  a 
large  business.  The  best  ship-chandler  here,  without  a 
doubt.  Business  is  all  very  well,  but  there  is  such 
a  thing  as  personal  character,  too,  isn't  there?  Good- 
morning,  Captain." 

He  went  away  mincingly  to  his  desk.  He  amused 
me.  He  resembled  an  old  maid,  a  commercial  old 
maid,  shocked  by  some  impropriety.  Was  it  a  com- 
mercial  impropriety?     Commercial   impropriety   is   a 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  28 

serious  matter,  for  it  aims  at  one's  pocket.  Or  was  he 
only  a  purist  in  conduct  who  disapproved  of  Jacobus 
doing  his  own  touting?  It  was  certainly  undignified. 
I  wondered  how  the  merchant  brother  liked  it.  But 
then  different  countries,  different  customs.  In  a 
community  so  isolated  and  so  exclusively  "  trading " 
social  standards  have  their  own  scale. 


II 

I  WOUI.D  have  gladly  dispensed  with  the  mournful 
opportunity  of  becoming  acquainted  by  sight  with  all 
my  fellow-captains  at  once.  However  I  found  my  way 
to  the  cemetery.  We  made  a  considerable  group  of 
bareheaded  men  in  sombre  garments.  I  noticed  that 
those  of  our  company  most  approaching  to  the  now 
obsolete  sea-dog  type  were  the  most  moved  —  perhaps 
because  they  had  less  "  manner "  than  the  new  gen- 
eration. The  old  sea-dog,  away  from  his  natural  ele- 
ment, was  a  simple  and  sentimental  animal.  I  noticed 
one  —  he  was  facing  me  across  the  grave  —  who  was 
dropping  tears.  They  trickled  down  his  weather- 
beaten  face  like  drops  of  rain  on  an  old  rugged  wall. 
I  learned  afterwards  that  he  was  looked  upon  as  the 
terror  of  sailors,  a  hard  man;  that  he  had  never  had 
wife  or  chick  of  his  own,  and  that,  engaged  from  his 
tenderest  years  in  deep-sea  voyages,  he  knew  women 
and  children  merely  by  sight. 

Perhaps  he  was  dropping  those  tears  over  his  lost 
opportunities,   from   sheer   envy   of   paternity   and  in 


24  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

strange  jealousy  of  a  sorrow  which  he  could  never 
know.  Man,  and  even  the  sea-man,  is  a  capricious  an- 
imal, the  creature  and  the  victim  of  lost  opportunities. 
But  he  made  me  feel  ashamed  of  my  callousness.  I 
had  no  tears. 

I  listened  with  horribly  critical  detachment  to  that 
service  I  had  had  to  read  myself,  once  or  twice,  over 
childlike  men  who  had  died  at  sea.  The  words  of  hope 
and  defiance,  tKe  winged  words  so  inspiring  in  the  free 
immensity  of  water  and  sky,  seemed  to  fall  wearily 
into  the  little  grave.  What  was  the  use  of  asking 
Death  where  her  sting  was,  before  that  small,  dark 
hole  in  the  ground?  And  then  my  thoughts  escaped 
me  altogether  —  away  into  matters  of  life  —  and  no 
very  high  matters  at  that  —  ships,  freights,  business. 
In  the  instability  of  his  emotions  man  resembles 
deplorably  a  monkey.  I  was  disgusted  with  my 
thoughts  —  and  I  thought :  Shall  I  be  able  to  get  a 
charter  soon?  Timers  money.  .  .  .  Will  that  Ja- 
cobus really  put  good  business  in  my  way?  ...  I 
must  go  and  see  him  in  a  day  or  two. 

Don't  imagine  that  I  pursued  these  thoughts  with 
any  precision.  They  pursued  me  rather:  vague,  shad- 
owy, restless,  shamefaced.  Theirs  was  a  callous, 
abominable,  almost  revolting,  pertinacity.  And  it  was 
the  presence  of  that  pertinacious  ship-chandler  which 
had  started  them.  He  stood  mournfully  amongst  our 
little  band  of  men  from  the  sea,  and  I  was  angry  at 
his  presence,  which,  suggesting  his  brother  the  mer- 
chant, had  caused  me  to  become  outrageous  to  myself. 


A  SMILE  OF  FOETUITE  26 

For  indeed  I  had  preserved  some  decency  of  feeling. 
It  was  only  the  mind  which 

It  was  oyer  at  last.  The  poor  father  —  a  man  of 
forty  with  black,  bushy  side-whiskers  and  a  pathetic 
gash  on  his  freshly-shaved  chin  —  thanked  ns  all, 
swallowing  his  tears.  But  for  some  reason,  either  be- 
cause I  lingered  at  the  gate  of  the  cemetery  being 
somewhat  hazy  as  to  my  way  back,  or  because  I  was 
the  youngest,  or  ascribing  my  moodiness  caused  by  re- 
morse to  some  more  worthy  and  appropriate  sentiment, 
or  simply  because  I  was  even  more  of  a  stranger  to 
him  than  the  others  —  he  singled  me  out.  Keeping  at 
my  side,  he  renewed  his  thanks,  which  I  listened  to  in 
a  gloomy,  conscience-stricken  silence.  Suddenly  he 
slipped  one  hand  under  my  arm  and  waved  the  other 
after  a  tall,  stout  figure  walking  away  by  itself  down 
a  street  in  a  flutter  of  thin,  grey  garments: 

"That's  a  good  fellow  —  a  real  good  fellow" — he 
swallowed  down  a  belated  sob — "this  Jacobus." 

And  he  told  me  in  a  low  voice  that  Jacobus  was 
the  first  man  to  board  his  ship  on  arrival,  and,  learn- 
ing of  their  misfortune,  had  taken  charge  of  every- 
thing, volunteered  to  attend  to  all  routine  business, 
carried  off  the  ship's  papers  on  shore,  arranged  for  the 
funeral 

"  A  good  fellow.  I  was  knocked  over.  I  had  been 
looking  at  my  wife  for  ten  days.  And  helpless.  Just 
you  think  of  that !  The  dear  little  chap  died  the  very 
day  we  made  the  land.  How  I  managed  to  take  the 
ship  in  God  alone  knows!     I  couldn't  see  anything; 


26  TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

I  couldn't  speak;  I  couldn't.  .  .  .  You've  heard, 
perhaps,  that  we  lost  our  mate  overboard  on  the  pas- 
sage? There  was  no  one  to  do  it  for  me.  And  the 
poor  woman  nearly  crazy  down  below  there  all  alone 
with  the  .  .  .  By  the  Lord !     It  isn't  fair." 

We  walked  in  silence  together.  I  did  not  know  how 
to  part  from  him.  On  the  way  he  let  go  my  arm  and 
struck  fiercely  his  fist  into  the  palm  of  his  other  hand. 

"By  God,  it  isn't  fair!"  he  cried  again.  "Don't 
you  ever  marry  unless  you  can  chuck  the  sea  first.  .  .  . 
It  isn't  fair." 

I  had  no  intention  to  "  chuck  the  sea,"  and  when  he 
left  me  to  go  aboard  his  ship  I  felt  convinced  that  I 
would  never  marry.  While  I  was  waiting  at  the  steps 
for  Jacobus's  boatman,  who  had  gone  off  somewhere, 
the  captain  of  the  Hilda  joined  me,  a  slender  silk  um- 
brella in  his  hand  and  the  sharp  points  of  his  archaic, 
Gladstonian  shirt-collar  framing  a  small,  clean- 
shaved,  ruddy  face.  It  was  wonderfully  fresh  for  his 
age,  beautifully  modelled  and  lit  up  by  remarkably 
clear  blue  eyes.  A  lot  of  white  hair,  glossy  like  spun 
glass,  curled  upwards  slightly  under  the  brim  of  his 
valuable,  ancient,  panama  hat  with  a  broad  black  rib- 
bon. In  the  aspect  of  that  vivacious,  neat,  little  old 
man  there  was  something  quaintly  angelic  and  also 
boyish. 

He  accosted  me  as  though  he  had  been  in  the  habit 
of  seeing  me  every  day  of  his  life  from  my  earliest 
childhood,  with  a  whimsical  remark  on  the  appearance 
of  a  stout  negro  woman  who  was  sitting  upon  a  stool 


A  SMILE  OF  FOETUNE  27 

near  the  edge  of  the  quay.  Presently  he  observed 
amiably  that  I  had  a  very  pretty  little  barque. 

I  returned  this  civil  speech  by  saying  readily : 

"  N'ot  so  pretty  as  the  Hilda/* 

At  once  the  comers  of  his  clear-cut,  sensitive  mouth 
dropped  dismally. 

"  Oh,  dear!     I  can  hardly  bear  to  look  at  her  now." 

Did  I  know,  he  asked  anxiously,  that  he  had  lost 
the  figurehead  of  his  ship;  a  woman  in  a  blue  tunic 
edged  with  gold,  the  face  perhaps  not  so  very,  very 
pretty,  but  her  bare  white  arms  beautifully  shaped  and 
extended  as  if  she  were  swimming?  Did  I?  Who 
would  have  expected  such  a  thing!  .  .  .  After  twenty 
years  too! 

]!Tobody  could  have  guessed  from  his  tone  that  the 
woman  was  made  of  wood;  his  trembling  voice,  his 
agitated  manner  gave  to  his  lamentations  a  ludicrously 
scandalous  flavour.  .  .  .  Disappeared  at  night  —  a 
clear  fine  night  with  just  a  slight  swell  —  in  the  gulf 
of  Bengal.  Went  off  without  a  splash;  no  one  in  the 
ship  could  tell  why,  how,  at  what  hour  —  after  twenty 
years  last  October.  .  .  .  Did  I  ever  hear!  .  .  . 

I  assured  him  sympathetically  that  I  had  never 
heard  —  and  he  became  very  doleful.  This  meant  no 
good  he  was  sure.  There  was  something  in  it  which 
looked  like  a  warning.  But  when  I  remarked  that 
surely  another  figure  of  a  woman  could  be  procured 
I  found  myself  being  soundly  rated  for  my  levity. 
The  old  boy  flushed  pink  under  his  clear  tan  as  if  I 
had  proposed  something  improper.     One  could  replace 


2S  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

masts,  I  was  told,  or  a  lost  rudder  —  any  working  part 
of  a  ship ;  but  where  was  the  use  of  sticking  up  a  new 
figurehead?  What  satisfaction?  How  could  one  care 
for  it?  It  was  as  easy  to  see  that  I  had  never  been 
shipmates  with  a  figurehead  for  over  twenty  years. 

"  A  new  figurehead !  "  he  scolded  in  unquenchable  in- 
dignation. "  Why !  I've  been  a  widower  now  for 
eight-and-twenty  years  come  next  May  and  I  would  just 
as  soon  think  of  getting  a  new  wife.  You're  as  bad  as 
that  fellow  Jacobus." 

I  was  highly  amused. 

"What  has  Jacobus  done?  Did  he  want  you  to 
marry  again.  Captain  ? "  I  inquired  in  a  deferential 
tone.  But  he  was  launched  now  and  only  grinned 
fiercely. 

"  Procure  —  indeed !  He's  the  sort  of  chap  to  pro- 
cure you  anything  you  like  for  a  price.  I  hadn't  been 
moored  here  for  an  hour  when  he  got  on  board  and  at 
once  offered  to  sell  me  a  figurehead  he  happens  to  have 
in  his  yard  somewhere.  He  got  Smith,  my  mate,  to 
talk  to  me  about  it.  *  Mr.  Smith,'  says  I,  *  don't  you 
know  me  better  than  that?  Am  I  the  sort  that  would 
pick  up  with  another  man's  cast-off  figurehead  ? '  And 
after  all  these  years  too !  The  way  some  of  you  young 
fellows  talk " 

I  affected  great  compunction,  and  as  I  stepped  into 
the  boat  I  said  soberly: 

"  Then  I  see  nothing  for  it  but  to  fit  in  a  neat  fiddle- 
head  —  perhaps.  You  know,  carved  scrollwork,  nicely 
gilt." 


A  SMILE  OF  FOKTUNE  29 

He  became  very  dejected  after  his  outburst. 

"  Yes.  Scrollwork.  Maybe.  Jacobus  hinted  at 
that  too.  '  He's  never  at  a  loss  when  there's  any  money 
to  be  extracted  from  a  sailorman.  He  would  make  me 
pay  through  the  nose  for  that  carving.  A  gilt  fiddle- 
head  did  you  say  —  eh  ?  I  dare  say  it  would  do  for 
you.  You  young  fellows  don't  seem  to  have  any  feel- 
ing for  what's  proper." 

He  made  a  convulsive  gesture  with  his  right  arm. 

"  Never  mind.  Nothing  can  make  much  difference. 
I  would  just  as  soon  let  the  old  thing  go  about  the 
world  with  a  bare  cutwater,"  he  cried  sadly.  Then  as 
the  boat  got  away  from  the  steps  he  raised  his  voice 
on  the  edge  of  the  quay  with  comical  animosity : 
«.  "  I  would !  If  only  to  spite  that  figurehead- 
procuring  bloodsucker.  I  am  an  old  bird  here  and 
don't  you  forget  it.  Come  and  see  me  on  board  some 
day!" 

I  spent  my  first  evening  in  port  quietly  in  my  ship's 
cuddy;  and  glad  enough  was  I  to  think  that  the  shore 
life  which  strikes  one  as  so  prettily  complex,  discordant, 
and  so  full  of  new  faces  on  first  coming  from  sea, 
could  be  kept  off  for  a  few  hours  longer.  I  was  how- 
ever fated  to  hear  the  Jacobus  note  once  more  before 
I  slept. 

Mr.  Burns  had  gone  ashore  after  the  evening  meal 
to  have,  as  he  said,  "  a  look  round."  As  it  was  quite 
dark  when  he  announced  his  intention  I  didn't  ask 
him  what  it  was  he  expected  to  see.  Some  time  about 
midnight,  while  sitting  with  a  book  in  the  saloon,  I 


30  'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

heard  cautious  movements  in  the  lobby  and  hailed  him 
by  name. 

Bums  came  in,  stick  and  hat  in  hand,  incredibly 
vulgarised  by  his  smart  shore  togs,  with  a  jaunty  air 
and  an  odious  twinkle  in  his  eye.  Being  asked  to  sit 
down  he  laid  his  hat  and  stick  on  the  table  and  after 
we  had  talked  of  ship  affairs  for  a  little  while : 

"  I've  been  hearing  pretty  tales  on  shore  about  that 
ship-chandler  fellow  who  snatched  the  job  from  you 
so  neatly,  sir." 

I  remonstrated  with  my  late  patient  for  his  manner 
of  expressing  himself.  But  he  only  tossed  his  head 
disdainfully.  A  pretty  dodge  indeed:  boarding  a 
strange  ship  with  breakfast  in  two  baskets  for  all  hands 
and  calmly  inviting  himself  to  the  captain's  table! 
Never  heard  of  anything  so  crafty  and  so  impudent  in 
his  life. 

I  found  myself  defending  Jacobus's  unusual  meth- 
ods. 

"  He's  the  brother  of  one  of  the  wealthiest  merchants 
in  the  port."  The  mate's  eyes  fairly  snapped  green 
sparks. 

"  His  grand  brother  hasn't  spoken  to  him  for  eight- 
een or  twenty  years,"  he  declared  triumphantly.  "  So 
there!" 

"  I  know  all  about  that,"  I  interrupted  loftily. 

"  Do  you,  sir  ?  H'm !  "  His  mind  was  still  run- 
ning on  the  ethics  of  commercial  competition.  "  I 
don't  like  to  see  your  good  nature  taken  advantage  of. 
He's  bribed  that  steward  of  ours  with  a  five-rupee  note 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  31 

to  let  him  come  down  —  or  ten  for  that  matter.  He 
don't  care.  He  will  shove  that  and  more  into  the  bill 
presently.'' 

"  Is  that  one  of  the  tales  you  have  heard  ashore  ? " 
I  asked. 

He  assured  me  that  his  own  sense  could  tell  him 
that  much.  No ;  what  he  had  heard  on  shore  was  that 
no  respectable  person  in  the  whole  town  would  come 
near  Jacobus.  He  lived  in  a  large  old-fashioned  house 
in  one  of  the  quiet  streets  with  a  big  garden.  After 
telling  me  this  Burns  put  on  a  mysterious  air.  "  He 
keeps  a  girl  shut  up  there  who,  they  say " 

"  I  suppose  you've  heard  all  this  gossip  in  some  emi- 
nently respectable  place  ?  "  I  snapped  at  him  in  a  most 
sarcastic  tone. 

The  shaft  told,  because  Mr.  Bums,  like  many  other 
disagreeable  people,  was  very  sensitive  himself.  He 
remained  as  if  thunderstruck,  with  his  mouth  open  for 
some  further  communication,  but  I  did  not  give  him 
the  chance.  "And,  anyhow,  what  the  deuce  do  1 
care  ? "  I  added,  retiring  into  my  room. 

And  this  was  a  natural  thing  to  say.  Yet  somehow 
I  was  not  indifferent.  I  admit  it  is  absurd  to  be 
concerned  with  the  morals  of  one's  ship-chandler,  if 
ever  so  well  connected ;  but  his  personality  had  stamped 
itself  upon  my  first  day  in  harbour,  in  the  way  you 
know. 

After  this  initial  exploit  Jacobus  showed  himself 
anything  but  intrusive.  He  was  out  in  a  boat  early 
every  morning  going  round  the  ships  he  served,  and 


32  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

occasionally  remaining  on  board  one  of  them  for  break- 
fast with  the  captain. 

As  I  discovered  that  this  practice  was  generally  ac- 
cepted, I  just  nodded  to  him  familiarly  when  one  morn- 
ing, on  coming  out  of  my  room,  I  found  him  in  the 
cabin.  Glancing  over  the  table  I  saw  that  his  place 
was  already  laid.  He  stood  awaiting  my  appearance, 
very  bulky  and  placid,  holding  a  beautiful  bunch  of 
flowers  in  his  thick  hand.  He  offered  them  to  my 
notice  with  a  faint,  sleepy  smile.  From  his  own 
garden;  had  a  very  fine  old  garden;  picked  them  him- 
self that  morning  before  going  out  to  business ;  thought 
I  would  like.  .  .  .  He  turned  away.  "  Steward,  can 
you  oblige  me  with  some  water  in  a  large  jar,  please." 

I  assured  him  jocularly,  as  I  took  my  place  at  the 
table,  that  he  made  me  feel  as  if  I  were  a  pretty  girl, 
and  that  he  mustn't  be  surprised  if  I  blushed.  But 
he  was  busy  arranging  his  floral  tribute  at  the  side- 
board. "  Stand  it  before  the  Captain's  plate,  steward, 
please."     He  made  this  request  in  his  usual  undertone. 

The  offering  was  so  pointed  that  I  could  do  no  less 
than  to  raise  it  to  my  nose,  and  as  he  sat  down  noise- 
lessly he  breathed  out  the  opinion  that  a  few  flowers 
improved  notably  the  appearance  of  a  ship's  saloon. 
He  wondered  why  I  did  not  have  a  shelf  fitted  all 
round  the  skylight  for  flowers  in  pots  to  take  with  me 
to  sea.  He  had  a  skilled  workman  able  to  fit  up 
shelves  in  a  day,  and  he  could  procure  me  two  or  three 
dozen  good  plants 

The  tips  of  his  thick,  round  fingers  rested  composedly 


A  SMILE  OF  FOKTUNE  33 

on  the  edge  of  the  table  on  each  side  of  his  cup  of 
coffee.  His  face  remained  immovable.  Mr.  Bums 
was  smiling  maliciously  to  himself.  I  declared  that  I 
hadn^t  the  slightest  intention  of  turning  my  skylight 
into  a  conservatory  only  to  keep  the  cabin-table  in  a 
perpetual  mess  of  mould  and  dead  vegetable  matter. 

"  Rear  most  beautiful  flowers,"  he  insisted  with  an 
upward  glance.     "  It's  no  trouble  really." 

"  Oh,  yes,  it  is.  Lots  of  trouble,"  I  contradicted. 
"  And  in  the  end  some  fool  leaves  the  skylight  open 
in  a  fresh  breeze,  a  flick  of  salt  water  gets  at  them  and 
the  whole  lot  is  dead  in  a  week." 

Mr.  Bums  snorted  a  contemptuous  approval. 
Jacobus  gave  up  the  subject  passively.  After  a  time 
he  unglued  his  thick  lips  to  ask  me  if  I  had  seen  his 
brother  yet.     I  was  very  curt  in  my  answer. 

"  No,  not  yet." 

"A  very  different  person,"  he  remarked  dreamily 
and  got  up.  His  movements  were  particularly  noise- 
less. "  Well  —  thank  you,  Captain.  If  anything  is' 
not  to  your  liking  please  mention  it  to  your  steward. 
I  suppose  you  will  be  giving  a  dinner  to  the  office-clerks 
presently." 

"  What  for  ? "  I  cried  with  some  warmth.  "  If  I 
were  a  steady  trader  to  the  port  I  could  understand  it. 
But  a  complete  stranger!  ...  I  may  not  turn  up 
again  here  for  years.  I  don't  see  why  I  ...  Do  you 
mean  to  say  it  is  customary  ? " 

"  It  will  be  expected  from  a  man  like  you,"  he 
breathed  out  placidly.     "  Eight  of  the  principal  clerks. 


34  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

the  manager,  that's  nine,  you  three  gentlemen,  that's 
twelve.  It  needn't  be  very  expensive.  If  you  tell 
your  steward  to  give  me  a  day's  notice " 

"  It  will  be  expected  of  me !  Why  should  it  be  ex- 
pected of  me?  Is  it  because  I  look  particularly  soft 
—  or  what  ?  " 

His  immobility  struck  me  as  dignified  suddenly,  his 
imperturbable  quality  as  dangerous.  "  There's  plenty 
of  time  to  think  about  that,"  I  concluded  weakly  with 
a  gesture  that  tried  to  wave  him  away.  But  before 
he  departed  he  took  time  to  mention  regretfully  that 
he  had  not  yet  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  me  at  his 
"  store  "  to  sample  those  cigars.  He  had  a  parcel  of 
six  thousand  to  dispose  of,  very  cheap. 

"  I  think  it  would  be  worth  your  while  to  secure 
some,"  he  added  with  a  fat,  melancholy  smile  and  left 
the  cabin. 

Mr.  Burns  struck  his  fist  on  the  table  excitedly. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  such  impudence !  He's  made  up 
his  mind  to  get  something  out  of  you  one  way  or  an- 
other, sir." 

At  once  feeling  inclined  to  defend  Jacobus,  I  ob- 
served philosophically  that  all  this  was  business,  I  sup- 
posed. But  my  absurd  mate,  muttering  broken 
disjointed  sentences,  such  as :  "I  cannot  bear !  .  .  . 
Mark  my  words!  .  .  ."  and  so  on,  flung  out  of  the 
cabin.  If  I  hadn't  nursed  him  through  that  deadly 
fever  I  wouldn't  have  suffered  such  manners  for  a 
single  day. 


A  SMILE  OF  FOKTUNE  U 

III 

Jacobus  having  put  me  in  mind  of  his  wealthy  brother 
I  concluded  I  would  pay  that  business  call  at  once. 
I  had  by  that  time  heard  a  little  more  of  him.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Council,  where  he  made  himself  ob- 
jectionable to  the  authorities.  He  exercised  a  consid- 
erable influence  on  public  opinion.  Lots  of  people 
owed  him  money.  He  was  an  importer  on  a  great 
scale  of  all  sorts  of  goods.  For  instance,  the  whole 
supply  of  bags  for  sugar  was  practically  in  his  hands. 
This  last  fact  I  did  not  learn  till  afterwards.  The 
general  impression  conveyed  to  me  was  that  of  a  local 
personage.  He  was  a  bachelor  and  gave  weekly  card- 
parties  in  his  house  out  of  town,  which  were  attended 
by  the  best  people  in  the  colony. 

The  greater,  then,  was  my  surprise  to  discover  his 
office  in  shabby  surroundings,  quite  away  from  the 
business  quarter,  amongst  a  lot  of  hovels.  Guided  by 
a  black  board  with  white  lettering,  I  climbed  a  narrow 
wooden  staircase  and  entered  a  room  with  a  bare  floor 
of  planks  littered  with  bits  of  brown  paper  and  wisps 
of  packing  straw.  A  great  number  of  what  looked 
like  wine-cases  were  piled  up  against  one  of  the  walls. 
A  lanky,  inky,  light-yellow,  mulatto  youth,  miserably 
long-necked  and  generally  recalling  a  sick  chicken,  got 
off  a  three-legged  stool  behind  a  cheap  deal  desk  and 
faced  me  as  if  gone  dumb  with  fright.  I  had  some 
difliculty  in  persuading  him  to  take  in  my  name, 
though  I  could  not  get  from  him  the  nature  of  his 


36  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

objection.  He  did  it  at  last  with  an  almost  agonised 
reluctance  which  ceased  to  be  mysterious  to  me  when 
I  heard  him  being  sworn  at  menacingly  with  savage, 
suppressed  growls,  then  audibly  cuffed  and  finally 
kicked  out  without  any  concealment  whatever;  because 
he  came  back  flying  head  foremost  through  the  door 
Avith  a  stifled  shriek. 

To  say  I  was  startled  would  not  express  it  I  re- 
mained still,  like  a  man  lost  in  a  dream.  Clapping 
both  his  hands  to  that  part  of  his  frail  anatomy  which 
had  received  the  shock,  the  poor  wretch  said  to  me 
simply : 

"  Will  you  go  in,  please." 

His  lamentable  self-possession  was  wonderful;  but 
it  did  not  do  away  with  the  incredibility  of  the  ex- 
perience. A  preposterous  notion  that  I  had  seen  this 
boy  somewhere  before,  a  thing  obviously  impossible, 
was  like  a  delicate  finishing  touch  of  weirdness  added 
to  a  scene  fit  to  raise  doubts  as  to  one^s  sanity.  I  stared 
anxiously  about  me  like  an  awakened  somnambulist. 

"  I  say,"  I  cried  loudly,  "  there  isn't  a  mistake,  is 
there?     This  is  Mr.  Jacobus's  office." 

The  boy  gazed  at  me  with  a  pained  expression  — 
and  somehow  so  familiar !  A  voice  within  growled  of- 
fensively : 

"  Come  in,  come  in,  since  you  are  there.  ...  I 
didn't  know." 

I  crossed  the  outer  room  as  one  approaches  the  den 
of  some  unknown  wild  beast;  with  intrepidity  but  in 
some  excitement.     Only  no  wild  beast  that  ever  lived 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  37 

would  rouse  one's  indignation;  the  power  to  do  that 
belongs  to  the  odiousness  of  the  human  brute.  And  I 
was  very  indignant,  which  did  not  prevent  me  from  be- 
ing at  once  struck  by  the  extraordinary  resemblance  of 
the  two  brothers. 

This  one  was  dark  instead  of  being  fair  like  the 
other;  but  he  was  as  big.  He  was  without  his  coat 
and  waistcoat;  he  had  been  doubtless  snoozing  in  the 
rocking-chair  which  stood  in  a  comer  furthest  from 
the  window.  Above  the  great  bulk  of  his  crumpled 
white  shirt,  buttoned  with  three  diamond  studs,  his 
round  face  looked  swarthy.  It  was  moist;  his  brown 
moustache  hung  limp  and  ragged.  He  pushed  a  com- 
mon, cane-bottomed  chair  towards  me  with  his  foot. 

"  Sit  down." 

I  glanced  at  it  casually,  then,  turning  my  indignant 
eyes  full  upon  him,  I  declared  in  precise  and  incisive 
tones  that  I  had  called  in  obedience  to  my  owners'  in- 
structions. 

"  Oh !  Yes.  H'm !  I  didn't  understand  what  that 
fool  was  saying.  .  .  .  But  never  mind!  It  will  teach 
the  scoundrel  to  disturb  me  at  this  time  of  the  day," 
he  added,  grinning  at  me  with  savage  cynicism. 

I  looked  at  my  watch.  It  was  past  three  o'clock  — 
quite  the  full  swing  of  afternoon  office  work  in  the 
port.     He  snarled  imperiously :     "  Sit  down,  Captain." 

I  acknowledged  the  gracious  invitation  by  saying 
deliberately : 

"  I  can  listen  to  all  you  may  have  to  say  without 
sitting  down." 


38  TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

Emitting  a  loud  and  vehement  ^^  Pshaw !  "  he  glared 
for  a  moment,  very  round-eyed  and  fierce.  It  was  like 
a  gigantic  tomcat  spitting  at  one  suddenly.  "  Look  at 
him!  .  .  .  What  do  you  fancy  yourself  to  be?  What 
did  you  come  here  for?  If  you  won't  sit  down  and 
talk  business  you  had  better  go  to  the  devil." 

"  I  don't  know  him  personally,"  I  said.  "  But  after 
this  I  wouldn't  mind  calling  on  him.  It  would  be 
refreshing  to  meet  a  gentleman." 

He  followed  me,  growling  behind  my  back : 

"  The  impudence !  I've  a  good  mind  to  ^vrite  to 
your  owners  what  I  think  of  you." 

I  turned  on  him  for  a  moment : 

"  As  it  happens  I  don't  care.  Eor  my  part  I  assure 
you  I  won't  even  take  the  trouble  to  mention  you  to 
them." 

He  stopped  at  the  door  of  his  office  while  I  traversed 
the  littered  anteroom.  I  think  he  was  somewhat  taken 
aback. 

"  I  will  break  every  bone  in  your  body,"  he  roared 
suddenly  at  the  miserable  mulatto  laa,  "  if  you  ever 
dare  to  disturb  me  before  half -past  three  for  anybody. 
D'ye  hear?  For  anybody!  .  .  .  Let  alone  any 
damned  skipper,"  he  added,  in  a  lower  growl. 

The  frail  youngster,  swaying  like  a  reed,  made  a  low 
moaning  sound.  I  stopped  short  and  addressed  this 
sufferer  with  advice.  It  was  prompted  by  the  sight  of 
a  hammer  (used  for  opening  the  wine-cases,  I  suppose) 
which  was  lying  on  the  floor. 

"  If  I  were  you,  my  boy,  I  would  have  that  thing  up 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  39 

my  sleeve  when  I  went  in  next  and  at  the  first  occa- 
sion I  would " 

Wliat  was  there  so  familiar  in  that  lad's  yellow  face  ? 
Entrenched  and  quaking  behind  the  flimsy  desk,  he 
never  looked  up.  His  heavy,  lowered  eyelids  gave  me 
suddenly  the  clue  of  the  puzzle.  He  resembled  —  yes, 
those  thick  glued  lips  —  he  resembled  the  brothers 
Jacobus.  He  resembled  both,  the  wealthy  merchant 
and  the  pushing  shopkeeper  (who  resembled  each 
other)  ;  he  resembled  them  as  much  as  a  thin,  light- 
yellow  mulatto  lad  may  resemble  a  big,  stout,  middle- 
aged  white  man.  It  was  the  exotic  complexion  and 
the  slightness  of  his  build  which  had  put  me  off  so 
completely.  'Now  I  saw  in  him  unmistakably  the 
Jacobus  strain,  weakened,  attenuated,  diluted  as  it 
were  in  a  bucket  of  water  —  and  I  refrained  from  fin- 
ishing my  speech.  I  had  intended  to  say:  "Crack 
this  brute's  head  for  him."  I  still  felt  the  conclusion 
to  be  sound.  But  it  is  no  trifling  responsibility  to 
counsel  parricide  to  any  one,  however  deeply  injured. 

"  Beggarly  —  cheeky  —  skippers." 

I  despised  the  emphatic  growl  at  my  back;  only, 
being  much  vexed  and  upset,  I  regret  to  say  that  I 
slammed  the  door  behind  me  in  a  most  undignified 
manner. 

It  may  not  appear  altogether  absurd  if  I  say  that 
I  brought  out  from  that  interview  a  kindlier  view  of 
the  other  Jacobus.  It  was  with  a  feeling  resembling 
partisanship  that,  a  few  days  later,  I  called  at  his 
"  store."     That    long,    cavern-like    place    of   business, 


40  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

very  dim  at  the  back  and  stuffed  full  of  all  sorts  of 
goods,  was  entered  from  the  street  by  a  lofty  archway. 
At  the  far  end  I  saw  my  Jacobus  exerting  himself  in 
his  shirt-sleeves  among  his  assistants.  The  captains' 
room  was  a  small,  vaulted  apartment  with  a  stone  floor 
and  heavy  iron  bars  in  its  windows  like  a  dungeon 
converted  to  hospitable  purposes.  A  couple  of  cheerful 
bottles  and  several  gleaming  glasses  made  a  brilliant 
cluster  round  a  tall,  cool  red  earthenware  pitcher  on 
the  centre  table  which  was  littered  with  newspapers 
from  all  parts  of  the  world.  A  well-groomed  stranger 
in  a  smart  grey  check  suit,  sitting  with  one  leg  flung 
over  his  knee,  put  down  one  of  these  sheets  briskly  and 
nodded  to  me. 

I  guessed  him  to  be  a  steamer-captain.  It  was  im- 
possible to  get  to  know  these  men.  They  came  and 
went  too  quickly  and  their  ships  lay  moored  far  out, 
at  the  very  entrance  of  the  harbour.  Theirs  was  an- 
other life  altogether.     He  yawned  slightly. 

"Dull  hole,  isn't  it?" 

I  understood  this  to  allude  to  the  town. 

"  Do  you  find  it  so  ?  "  I  murmured. 

"  Don't  you  ?  But  I'm  off  to-morrow,  thank  good- 
ness." 

He  was  a  very  gentlemanly  person,  good-natured  and 
superior.  I  watched  him  draw  the  open  box  of  cigars 
to  his  side  of  the  table,  take  a  big  cigar-case  out  of  his 
pocket  and  begin  to  fill  it  very  methodically.  Pres- 
ently, on  our  eyes  meeting,  he  winked  like  a  common 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  41 

mortal  and  invited  me  to  follow  his  example.  "  They 
are  really  decent  smokes."     I  shook  my  head. 

"  I  am  not  off  to-morrow." 

"  What  of  that  ?  Think  I  am  abusing  old  Jacobus's 
hospitality  ?  Heavens !  It  goes  into  the  bill,  of  course. 
He  spreads  such  little  matters  all  over  his  account. 
He  can  take  care  of  himself !     Why,  it's  business " 

I  noted  a  shadow  fall  over  his  well-satisfied  expres- 
sion, a  momentary  hesitation  in  closing  his  cigar-case. 
But  he  ended  by  putting  it  in  his  pocket  jauntily.  A 
placid  voice  uttered  in  the  doorway :  "  That's  quite 
correct,  Captain." 

The  large  noiseless  Jacobus  advanced  into  the  room. 
His  quietness,  in  the  circumstances,  amounted  to 
cordiality.  He  had  put  on  his  jacket  before  joining 
us,  and  he  sat  down  in  the  chair  vacated  by  the  steamer- 
man,  who  nodded  again  to  me  and  went  out  with  a 
short,  jarring  laugh.  A  profound  silence  reigned. 
With  his  drowsy  stare  Jacobus  seemed  to  be  slumber- 
ing open-eyed.  Yet,  somehow,  I  was  aware  of  being 
profoundly  scrutinised  by  those  heavy  eyes.  In  the 
enormous  cavern  of  the  store  somebody  began  to  nail 
down  a  case,  expertly:  tap-tap  .  .  .  tap-tap-tap.  Two 
other  experts,  one  slow  and  nasal,  the  other  shrill  and 
snappy,  started  checking  an  invoice. 

"A  half -coil  of  three-inch  manilla  rope." 

"Right!" 

"  Six  assorted  shackles." 

"Right!" 


42  'TWIXT  LAOT)  AND  SEA 

"  Six  tins  assorted  soups,  three  of  pate,  two  aspara- 
gus, fourteen  pounds  tobacco,  cabin." 

"Right!" 

"  It's  for  the  captain  who  was  here  just  now," 
breathed  out  the  immovable  Jacobus.  "  These  steamer 
orders  are  very  small.  They  pick  up  what  they  want 
as  they  go  along.  That  man  will  be  in  Samarang  in 
less  than  a  fortnight.     Very  small  orders  indeed." 

The  calling  over  of  the  items  went  on  in  the  shop; 
an  extraordinary  jumble  of  varied  articles,  paint- 
brushes, Yorkshire  Relish,  etc.,  etc.  ..."  Three 
sacks  of  best  potatoes,"  read  out  the  nasal  voice. 

At  this  Jacobus  blinked  like  a  sleeping  man  roused 
by  a  shake,  and  displayed  some  animation.  At  his 
order,  shouted  into  the  shop,  a  smirking  half-caste  clerk 
with  his  ringlets  much  oiled  and  with  a  pen  stuck  be- 
hind his  ear,  brought  in  a  sample  of  six  potatoes  which 
he  paraded  in  a  row  on  the  table. 

Being  urged  to  look  at  their  beauty  I  gave  them  a 
cold  and  hostile  glance.  Calmly,  Jacobus  proposed 
that  I  should  order  ten  or  fifteen  tons  —  tons!  I 
couldn't  believe  my  ears.  My  crew  could  not  have 
eaten  such  a  lot  in  a  year;  and  potatoes  (excuse  these 
practical  remarks)  are  a  highly  perishable  commodity. 
I  thought  he  was  joking  —  or  else  trying  to  find  out 
whether  I  was  an  unutterable  idiot.  But  his  purpose 
was  not  so  simple.  I  discovered  that  he  meant  me  to 
buy  them  on  my  own  account. 

"  I  am  proposing  you  a  bit  of  business,  Captain.  I 
wouldn't  charge  you  a  great  price." 


A  SMILE  OF  FOETUIsrE  48 

I  told  him  that  I  did  not  go  in  for  trade.  I  even 
added  grimly  that  I  knew  only  too  well  how  that  sort 
of  spec,  generally  ended. 

He  sighed  and  clasped  his  hands  on  his  stomach 
with  exemplary  resignation.  I  admired  the  placidity 
of  his  impudence.     Then  waking  up  somewhat : 

"  Won't  you  try  a  cigar,  Captain  ? " 

"  !N'o,  thanks.     I  don't  smoke  cigars." 

"  For  once !  "  he  exclaimed,  in  a  patient  whisper. 
A  melancholy  silence  ensued.  You  know  how  some- 
times a  person  discloses  a  certain  unsuspected  depth 
and  acuteness  of  thought ;  that  is,  in  other  words,  utters 
something  unexpected.  It  was  unexpected  enough  to 
hear  Jacohus  say: 

"  The  man  who  just  went  out  was  right  enough. 
You  might  take  one.  Captain.  Here  everything  is 
bound  to  be  in  the  way  of  business." 

I  felt  a  little  ashamed  of  myself.  The  remembrance 
of  his  horrid  brother  made  him  appear  quite  a  decent 
sort  of  fellow.  It  was  with  some  compunction  that  I 
said  a  few  words  to  the  effect  that  I  could  have  no 
possible  objection  to  his  hospitality. 

Before  I  was  a  minute  older  I  saw  where  this  ad- 
mission was  leading  me.  As  if  changing  the  subject, 
Jacobus  mentioned  that  his  private  house  was  about  ten 
minutes'  walk  away.  It  had  a  beautiful  old  walled 
garden.  Something  really  remarkable.  I  ought  to 
come  round  some  day  and  have  a  look  at  it. 

He  seemed  to  be  a  lover  of  gardens.  I  too  take 
extreme  delight  in  them ;  but  I  did  not  mean  my  com- 


44  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

punction  to  carry  me  as  far  as  Jacobus's  flower-beds, 
however  beautiful  and  old.  He  added,  with  a  certain 
homeliness  of  tone : 

"  There's  only  my  girl  there." 

It  is  diflBcult  to  set  everything  down  in  due  order; 
so  I  must  revert  here  to  what  happened  a  week  or  two 
before.  The  medical  officer  of  the  port  had  come  on 
board  my  ship  to  have  a  look  at  one  of  my  crew  who 
was  ailing,  and  naturally  enough  he  was  asked  to  step 
into  the  cabin.  A  fellow-shipmaster  of  mine  was  there 
too;  and  in  the  conversation,  somehow  or  other,  the 
name  of  Jacobus  came  to  be  mentioned.  It  was  pro- 
nounced with  no  particular  reverence  by  the  other 
man,  I  believe.  I  don't  remember  now  what  I  was 
going  to  say.  The  doctor  —  a  pleasant,  cultivated  fel- 
low, with  an  assured  manner  —  prevented  me  by  strik- 
ing in,  in  a  sour  tone : 

"  Ah !  You're  talking  about  my  respected  papa-in- 
law." 

Of  course,  that  sally  silenced  us  at  the  time.  But  I 
remembered  the  episode,  and  at  this  juncture,  pushed 
for  something  non-committal  to  say,  I  inquired  with 
polite  surprise : 

"  You  have  your  married  daughter  living  with  you, 
Mr.  Jacobus?" 

He  moved  his  big  hand  from  right  to  left  quietly. 
No !  That  was  another  of  his  girls,  he  stated,  ponder- 
ously and  under  his  breath  as  usual.  She  .  .  .  He 
seemed  in  a  pause  to  be  ransacking  his  mind  for  some 
kind  of  descriptive  phrase.     But  my  hopes  were  dis- 


A  SMILE  OF  FOETUNE  45 

appointed.  He  merely  produced  his  stereotyped  defi- 
nition. 

"  She's  a  very  different  sort  of  person." 

"  Indeed.  .  .  .  And  by  the  by,  Jacobus,  I  called  on 
your  brother  the  other  day.  It's  no  great  compliment 
if  I  say  that  I  found  him  a  very  different  sort  of  person 
from  you." 

He  had  an  air  of  profound  reflection,  then  remarked 
quaintly : 

"  He's  a  man  of  regular  habits." 

He  might  have  been  alluding  to  the  habit  of  late 
siesta ;  but  I  mumbled  something  about  "  beastly  habits 
anyhow  " —  and  left  the  store  abruptly. 

IV 

My  little  passage  with  Jacobus  the  merchant  be- 
came known  generally.  One  or  two  of  my  ac- 
quaintances made  distant  allusions  to  it.  Perhaps  the 
mulatto  boy  had  talked.  I  must  confess  that  people 
appeared  rather  scandalised,  but  not  with  Jacobus's 
brutality.  A  man  I  knew  remonstrated  with  me  for 
my  hastiness. 

I  gave  him  the  whole  story  of  my  visit,  not  forget- 
ting the  tell-tale  resemblance  of  the  wretched  mulatto 
boy  to  his  tormentor.  He  was  not  surprised.  No 
doubt,  no  doubt.  "What  of  that?  In  a  jovial  tone  he 
assured  me  that  there  must  be  many  of  that  sort.  The 
elder  Jacobus  had  been  a  bachelor  all  his  life.  A 
highly    respectable    bachelor.     But    there    had    never 


46  'TWIJT  LAND  AND  SEA 

been  open  scandal  in  that  connection.  His  life  had 
been  quite  regular.  It  could  cause  no  offence  to  any 
one. 

I  said  that  I  had  been  offended  considerably.  My 
interlocutor  opened  very  wide  eyes.  Why?  Because 
a  mulatto  lad  got  a  few  knocks  ?  That  was  not  a  great 
affair,  surely.  I  had  no  idea  how  insolent  and  un- 
truthful these  half-castes  were.  In  fact  he  seemed  to 
think  Mr.  Jacobus  rather  kind  than  otherwise  to  em- 
ploy that  youth  at  all ;  a  sort  of  amiable  weakness  which 
could  be  forgiven. 

This  acquaintance  of  mine  belonged  to  one  of  the 
old  French  families,  descendants  of  the  old  colonists; 
all  noble,  all  impoverished,  and  living  a  narrow  domes- 
tic life  in  dull,  dignified  decay.  The  men,  as  a  rule, 
occupy  inferior  posts  in  Government  offices  or  in  busi- 
ness houses.  The  girls  are  almost  always  pretty,  igno- 
rant of  the  world,  kind  and  agreeable  and  generally 
bilingual;  they  prattle  innocently  both  in  French  and 
English.  The  emptiness  of  their  existence  passes  be- 
lief. 

I  obtained  my  entry  into  a  couple  of  such  house- 
holds because  some  years  before,  in  Bombay,  I  had 
occasion  to  be  of  use  to  a  pleasant,  ineffectual  young 
man  who  was  rather  stranded  there,  not  knowing  what 
to  do  with  himself  or  even  how  to  get  home  to 
his  island  again.  It  was  a  matter  of  two  hundred 
rupees  or  so,  but,  when  I  turned  up,  the  family  made 
a  point  of  showing  their  gratitude  by  admitting  me  to 
their   intimacy.     My   knowledge   of  the   French   Ian- 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  47 

guage  made  me  specially  acceptable.  They  had  mean- 
time managed  to  marry  the  fellow  to  a  woman  nearly 
twice  his  age,  comparatively  well  off:  the  only  profes- 
sion he  was  really  fit  for.  But  it  was  not  all  cakes  and 
ale.  The  first  time  I  called  on  the  couple  she  spied 
a  little  spot  of  grease  on  the  poor  devil's  pantaloons 
and  made  him  a  screaming  scene  of  reproaches  so  full 
of  sincere  passion  that  I  sat  terrified  as  at  a  tragedy  of 
Racine. 

Of  course  there  was  never  question  of  the  money  I 
had  advanced  him;  but  his  sisters,  Miss  Angele  and 
Miss  Mary,  and  the  aunts  of  both  families,  who  spoke 
quaint  archaic  French  of  pre-Revolution  period,  and 
a  host  of  distant  relations  adopted  me  for  a  friend 
outright  in  a  manner  which  was  almost  embarrassing. 

It  was  vdth  the  eldest  brother  (he  was  employed  at 
a  desk  in  my  consignee's  office)  that  I  was  having  this 
talk  about  the  merchant  Jacobus.  He  regretted  my 
attitude  and  nodded  his  head  sagely.  An  influential 
man.  One  never  knew  when  one  would  need  him.  I 
expressed  my  immense  preference  for  the  shopkeeper 
of  the  two.     At  that  my  friend  looked  grave. 

"  What  on  earth  are  you  pulling  that  long  face 
about  ? "  I  cried  impatiently.  "  He  asked  me  to  see 
his  garden  and  I  have  a  good  mind  to  go  some  day." 

"Don't  do  that,"  he  said,  so  earnestly  that  I  burst 
into  a  fit  of  laughter;  but  he  looked  at  me  without  a 
smile. 

This  was  another  matter  altogether.  At  one  time 
the  public  conscience  of  the  island  had  been  mightily 


48  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

troubled  by  my  Jacobus.  The  two  brothers  had  been 
partners  for  years  in  great  harmony,  when  a  wandering 
circus  came  to  the  island  and  my  Jacobus  became 
suddenly  infatuated  with  one  of  the  lady-riders.  What 
made  it  worse  was  that  he  was  married.  He  had  not 
even  the  grace  to  conceal  his  passion.  It  must  have 
been  strong  indeed  to  carry  away  such  a  large  placid 
creature.  His  behaviour  was  perfectly  scandalous. 
He  followed  that  woman  to  the  Cape,  and  apparently 
travelled  at  the  tail  of  that  beastly  circus  to  other 
parts  of  the  world,  in  a  most  degrading  position.  The 
woman  soon  ceased  to  care  for  him,  and  treated  him 
worse  than  a  dog.  Most  extraordinary  stories  of  moral 
degradation  were  reaching  the  island  at  that  time.  He 
had  not  the  strength  of  mind  to  shake  himself  free.  .  .  . 

The  grotesque  image  of  a  fat,  pushing  ship-chandler, 
enslaved  by  an  unholy  love-spell,  fascinated  me;  and 
I  listened  rather  open-mouthed  to  the  tale  as  old  as  the 
world,  a  tale  which  had  been  the  subject  of  legend,  of 
moral  fables,  of  poems,  but  which  so  ludicrously  failed 
to  fit  the  personality.  What  a  strange  victim  for  the 
gods! 

Meantime  his  deserted  wife  had  died.  His  daughter 
was  taken  care  of  by  his  brother,  who  married  her  as 
advantageously  as  was  possible  in  the  circumstances. 

"  Oh !     The  Mrs.  Doctor !  "  I  exclaimed. 

"  You  know  that  ?  Yes.  A  very  able  man.  He 
wanted  a  lift  in  the  world,  and  there  was  a  good  bit 
of  money  from  her  mother,  besides  the  expectations. 
...  Of   course,    they    don't   know   him,"    he    added. 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  49 

"  The  doctor  nods  in  the  street,  I  believe,  but  he  avoids 
speaking  to  him  when  they  meet  on  board  a  ship,  as 
must  happen  sometimes." 

I  remarked  that  this  surely  was  an  old  story  by  now. 

My  friend  assented.  But  it  was  Jacobus's  own  fault 
that  it  was  neither  forgiven  nor  forgotten.  He  came 
back  ultimately.  But  how?  Not  in  a  spirit  of  con- 
trition, in  a  way  to  propitiate  his  scandalised  fellow- 
citizens.  He  must  needs  drag  along  with  him  a  child 
—  a  girl.  .  .  . 

"  He  spoke  to  me  of  a  daughter  who  lives  with  him," 
I  observed,  very  much  interested. 

"  She's  certainly  the  daughter  of  the  circus-woman," 
said  my  friend.  "  She  may  be  his  daughter  too ;  I  am 
willing  to  admit  that  she  is.  In  fact  I  have  no 
doubt " 

But  he  did  not  see  why  she  should  have  been 
brought  into  a  respectable  community  to  perpetuate  the 
memory  of  the  scandal.  And  that  was  not  the  worst. 
Presently  something  much  more  distressing  happened. 
That  abandoned  woman  turned  up.  Landed  from  a 
mail-boat.  .  .  . 

"What!  Here?  To  claim  the  child  perhaps,"  I 
suggested. 

"  Not  she ! "  My  friendly  informant  was  very 
scornful.  "  Imagine  a  painted,  haggard,  agitated, 
desperate  hag.  Been  cast  off  in  Mozambique  by  some- 
body who  paid  her  passage  here.  She  had  been  in- 
jured internally  by  a  kick  from  a  horse;  she  hadn't 
a  cent  on  her  when  she  got  ashcre;  I  don't  think  she 


60  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

even  asked  to  see  the  child.  At  any  rate,  not  till  the 
last  day  of  her  life.  Jacobus  hired  for  her  a  bunga- 
low to  die  in.  He  got  a  couple  of  Sisters  from  the 
hospital  to  nurse  her  through  these  few  months.  If  he 
didn't  marry  her  in  extremis  as  the  good  Sisters  tried 
to  bring  about,  it's  because  she  wouldn't  even  hear  of  it. 
As  the  nuns  said :  *  The  woman  died  impenitent.'  It 
was  reported  that  she  ordered  Jacobus  out  of  the  room 
with  her  last  breath.  This  may  be  the  real  reason  why 
he  didn't  go  into  mourning  himself;  he  only  put  the 
child  into  black.  While  she  was  little  she  was  to  be 
seen,  sometimes  about  the  streets  attended  by  a  negro 
woman,  but  since  she  became  of  age  to  put  her  hair 
up  I  don't  think  she  has  set  foot  outside  that  garden 
once.     She  must  be  over  eighteen  now." 

Thus  my  friend,  with  some  added  details;  such  as, 
that  he  didn't  think  the  girl  had  spoken  to  three  peo- 
ple of  any  position  in  the  island;  that  an  elderly 
female  relative  of  the  brothers  Jacobus  had  been  in- 
duced by  extreme  poverty  to  accept  the  position  of 
gouvemante  to  the  girl.  As  to  Jacobus's  business 
(which  certainly  annoyed  his  brother)  it  was  a  wise 
choice  on  his  part.  It  brought  him  in  contact  only 
with  strangers  of  passage;  whereas  any  other  would 
have  given  rise  to  all  sorts  of  awkwardness  with  his 
social  equals.  The  man  was  not  wanting  in  a  certain 
tact  —  only  he  was  naturally  shameless.  For  why  did 
he  want  to  keep  that  girl  with  him  ?  It  was  most  pain- 
ful for  everybody. 

I  thought  suddenly  (and  with  profound  disgust)  of 


A  SMILE  OF  FOKTUNE  51 

the  other  Jacobus,  and  I  could  not  refrain  from  saying 
slily: 

*^  I  suppose  if  he  employed  her,  say  as  a  scullion  in 
his  household  and  occasionally  pulled  her  hair  or  boxed 
her  ears,  the  position  would  have  been  more  regular 
—  less  shocking  to  the  respectable  class  to  which  he 


He  was  not  so  stupid  as  to  miss  my  intention,  and 
shrugged  his  shoulders  impatiently. 

"  You  don't  understand.  To  begin  with,  she's  not 
a  mulatto.  And  a  scandal  is  a  scandal.  People 
should  be  given  a  chance  to  forget.  I  dare  say  it 
would  have  been  better  for  her  if  she  had  been  turned 
into  a  scullion  or  something  of  that  kind.  Of  course 
he's  trying  to  make  money  in  every  sort  of  petty  way, 
but  in  such  a  business  there'll  never  be  enough  for 
anybody  to  come  forward." 

When  my  friend  left  me  I  had  a  conception  of 
Jacobus  and  his  daughter  existing,  a  lonely  pair  of 
castaways,  on  a  desert  island ;  the  girl  sheltering  in  the 
house  as  if  it  were  a  cavern  in  a  cliff,  and  Jacobus  go- 
ing out  to  pick  up  a  living  for  both  on  the  beach  — 
exactly  like  two  shipwrecked  people  who  always  hope 
for  some  rescuer  to  bring  them  back  at  last  into  touch 
with  the  rest  of  mankind. 

But  Jacobus's  bodily  reality  did  not  fit  in  with  this 
romantic  view.  When  he  turned  up  on  board  in  the 
usual  course,  he  sipped  the  cup  of  coffee  placidly,  asked 
me  if  I  was  satisfied  —  and  I  hardly  listened  to  the 
harbour  gossip  he  dropped  slowly  in  his  low,  voice- 


52  'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

saving  enunciation.  I  had  then  troubles  of  my  own. 
My  ship  chartered,  my  thoughts  dwelling  on  the  success 
of  a  quick  round  voyage,  I  had  been  suddenly  con- 
fronted by  a  shortage  of  bags.  A  catastrophe!  The 
stock  of  one  especial  kind,  called  pockets,  seemed  to 
be  totally  exhausted.  A  consignment  was  shortly  ex- 
pected—  it  was  afloat,  on  its  way,  but,  meantime,  the 
loading  of  my  ship  dead  stopped,  I  had  enough  to 
worry  about.  My  consignees,  who  had  received  me 
with  such  heartiness  on  my  arrival,  now,  in  the  char- 
acter of  my  charterers,  listened  to  my  complaints  with 
polite  helplessness.  Their  manager,  the  old-maidish, 
thin  man,  who  so  prudishly  didn't  even  like  to  speak 
about  the  impure  Jacobus,  gave  me  the  correct  com- 
mercial view  of  the  position. 

"  My  dear  Captain " —  he  was  retracting  his 
leathery  cheeks  into  a  condescending,  shark-like  smile 
— "  we  were  not  morally  obliged  to  tell  you  of  a  pos- 
sible shortage  before  you  signed  the  charter-party.  It 
was  for  you  to  guard  against  the  contingency  of  a  de- 
lay —  strictly  speaking.  But  of  course  we  shouldn't 
have  taken  any  advantage.  This  is  no  one's  fault 
really.  We  ourselves  have  been  taken  imawares,"  he 
concluded  primly,  with  an  obvious  lie. 

This  lecture  I  confess  had  made  me  thirsty.  Sup- 
pressed rage  generally  produces  that  effect;  and  as  I 
strolled  on  aimlessly  I  bethought  myself  of  the  tall 
earthenware  pitcher  in  the  captains'  room  of  the 
Jacobus  "  store." 

With  no  more  than  a  nod  to  the  men  I  found  as- 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUISrE  53 

sembled  there,  I  poured  down  a  deep,  cool  draught 
on  mv  indignation,  then  another,  and  then,  becoming 
dejected,  I  sat  plunged  in  cheerless  reflections.  The 
others  read,  talked,  smoked,  bandied  over  my  head 
some  imsubtle  chaff.  But  my  abstraction  was  re- 
spected. And  it  was  without  a  word  to  any  one  that  I 
rose  and  went  out,  only  to  be  quite  unexpectedly  ac- 
costed in  the  bustle  of  the  store  by  Jacobus  the  outcast. 

"  Glad  to  see  you.  Captain.  What  ?  Going  away  ? 
You  haven't  been  looking  so  well  these  last  few  days, 
I  notice.     Eun  down,  eh  ? " 

He  was  in  his  shirt-sleeves,  and  his  words  were  m 
the  usual  course  of  business,  but  they  had  a  human 
note.  It  was  commercial  amenity,  but  I  had  been  a 
stranger  to  amenity  in  that  connection.  I  do  verily 
believe  (from  the  direction  of  his  heavy  glance  towards 
a  certain  shelf)  that  he  was  going  to  suggest  the  pur- 
chase of  Clarkson's  ^erve  Tonic,  which  he  kept  in 
stock,  when  I  said  impulsively: 

"  I  am  rather  in  trouble  with  my  loading." 

Wide  awake  under  his  sleepy,  broad  mask  with  glued 
lips,  he  understood  at  once,  had  a  movement  of  the 
head  so  appreciative  that  I  relieved  my  exasperation 
by  exclaiming: 

"  Surely  there  must  be  eleven  hundred  quarter-bags 
to  be  found  in  the  colony.  It's  only  a  matter  of  look- 
ing for  them." 

Again  that  slight  movement  of  the  big  head,  and  in 
the  noise  and  activity  of  the  store  that  tranquil 
murmur : 


54  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

"To  be  sure.  But  then  people  likely  to  have  a  re- 
serve of  quarter-bags  wouldn't  want  to  sell.  They'd 
need  that  size  themselves." 

"  That's  exactly  what  my  consignees  are  telling  me. 
Impossible  to  buy.  Bosh  I  They  don't  want  to.  It 
suits  them  to  have  the  ship  hung  up.     But  if  I  were  to 

discover  the  lot  they  would  have  to Look  here 

Jacobus?  You  are  the  man  to  have  such  a  thing  up 
your  sleeve." 

He  protested  with  a  ponderous  swing  of  his  big 
head.  I  stood  before  him  helplessly,  being  looked  at 
by  those  heavy  eyes  with  a  veiled  expression  as  of  a 
man  after  some  soul-shaking  crisis.     Then,  suddenly: 

"  It's  impossible  to  talk  quietly  here,"  he  whispered. 
"  I  am  very  busy.  But  if  you  could  go  and  wait  for 
me  in  my  house.  It's  less  than  ten  minutes'  walk. 
Oh,  yes,  you  don't  know  the  way." 

He  called  for  his  coat  and  offered  to  take  me  there 
himself.  He  would  have  to  return  to  the  store  at  once 
for  an  hour  or  so  to  finish  his  business,  and  then  he 
would  be  at  liberty  to  talk  over  with  me  that  matter 
of  quarter-bags.  This  programme  was  breathed  out  at 
me  through  slightly  parted,  still  lips;  his  heavy,  mo- 
tionless glance  rested  upon  me,  placid  as  ever,  the 
glance  of  a  tired  man  —  but  I  felt  that  it  was  search- 
ing, too.  I  could  not  imagine  what  he  was  looking  for 
in  me  and  kept  silent,  wondering. 

"  I  am  asking  you  to  wait  for  me  in  my  house  till 
I  am  at  liberty  to  talk  this  matter  over.     You  will  ? " 

"  Why,  of  course !  "  I  cried. 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  66 


"  But  I  cannot  promise " 

"  I  dare  say  not,"  I  said.  "  I  don't  expect  a 
promise." 

"  I  mean  I  can't  even  promise  to  try  the  move  I've 
in  my  mind.     One  must  see  first  .  .  .  h'm !  " 

"  All  right.  I'll  take  the  chance.  I'll  wait  for  you 
as  long  as  you  like.  What  else  have  I  to  do  in  this  in- 
fernal hole  of  a  port !  " 

Before  I  had  uttered  my  last  words  we  had  set  off 
at  a  swinging  pace.  We  turned  a  couple  of  corners 
and  entered  a  street  completely  empty  of  traffic,  of 
semi-rural  aspect,  paved  with  cohblestones  nestling  in 
grass  tufts.  The  house  came  to  the  line  of  the  road- 
way; a  single  story  on  an  elevated  basement  of  rough- 
stones,  so  that  our  heads  were  below  the  level  of  the 
windows  as  we  went  along.  All  the  jalousies  were 
tightly  shut,  like  eyes,  and  the  house  seemed  fast 
asleep  in  the  afternoon  sunshine.  The  entrance  was 
at  the  side,  in  an  alley  even  more  grass-grown  than  the 
street:  a  small  door,  simply  on  the  latch. 

With  a  word  of  apology  as  to  showing  me  the  way, 
Jacobus  preceded  me  up  a  dark  passage  and  led  me 
across  the  naked  parquet  floor  of  what  I  supposed  to 
be  the  dining-room.  It  was  lighted  by  three  glass 
doors  which  stood  wide  open  on  to  a  verandah  or 
rather  loggia  running  its  brick  arches  along  the  garden 
side  of  the  house.  It  was  really  a  magnificent  garden : 
smooth  green  lawns  and  a  gorgeous  maze  of  flower- 
beds in  the  foreground,  displayed  around  a  basin  of 
dark  water  framed  in  a  marble  rim,  and  in  the  distance 


56  'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

the  massed  foliage  of  varied  trees  concealing  the  roofs 
of  other  houses.  The  town  might  have  been  miles 
awaj.  It  was  a  brilliantly  coloured  solitude,  drowsing 
in  a  warm,  voluptuous  silence.  Where  the  long,  still 
shadows  fell  across  the  beds,  and  in  shady  nooks,  the 
massed  colours  of  the  flowers  had  an  extraordinary 
magnificence  of  effect.  I  stood  entranced.  Jacobus 
grasped  me  delicately  above  the  elbow,  impelling  me  to 
a  half-turn  to  the  left. 

I  had  not  noticed  the  girl  before.  She  occupied  a 
low,  deep,  wickerwork  arm-chair,  and  I  saw  her  in 
exact  profile  like  a  figure  in  a  tapestry,  and  as  motion- 
less.    Jacobus  released  my  arm. 

"  This  is  Alice,'^  he  annoimced  tranquilly ;  and  his 
subdued  manner  of  speaking  made  it  sound  so  much 
like  a  confidential  communication  that  I  fancied  my- 
seK  nodding  under  standingly  and  whispering :  "  I  see, 
I  see."  ...  Of  course,  I  did  nothing  of  the  kind. 
Neither  of  us  did  anything;  we  stood  side  by  side 
looking  down  at  the  girl.  For  quite  a  time  she  did  not 
stir,  staring  straight  before  her  as  if  watching  the  vi- 
sion of  some  pageant  passing  through  the  garden  in  the 
deep,  rich  glow  of  light  and  the  splendour  of  flowers. 

Then,  coming  to  the  end  of  her  reverie,  she  looked 
round  and  up.  If  I  had  not  at  first  noticed  her,  I 
am  certain  that  she  too  had  been  unaware  of  my  pres- 
ence till  she  actually  perceived  me  by  her  father's  side. 
The  quickened  upward  movement  of  the  heavy  eyelids, 
the  widening  of  the  languid  glance,  passing  into  a  fixed 
stare,  put  that  beyond  doubt. 


A  SMILE  OF  rORTUJ^TE  67 

Under  her  amazement  there  was  a  hint  of  fear,  and 
then  came  a  flash  as  of  anger.  Jacobus,  after  uttering 
my  name  fairly  loud,  said :  "  Make  yourself  at  home, 
Captain  —  I  won't  be  gone  long,"  and  went  away 
rapidly.  Before  I  had  time  to  make  a  bow  I  was  left 
alone  with  the  girl  —  who,  I  remembered  suddenly,  had 
not  been  seen  by  any  man  or  woman  of  that  town  since 
she  had  found  it  necessary  to  put  up  her  hair. 
It  looked  as  though  it  had  not  been  touched  again 
since  that  distant  time  of  first  putting  up;  it  was  a 
mass  of  black,  lustrous  locks,  twisted  anyhow  high  on 
her  head,  with  long,  untidy  wisps  hanging  down  on 
each  side  of  the  clear  sallow  face;  a  mass  so  thick  and 
strong  and  abundant  that,  nothing  but  to  look  at,  it 
gave  you  a  sensation  of  heavy  pressure  on  the  top  of 
your  head  and  an  impression  of  magnificently  cyni- 
cal untidiness.  She  leaned  forward,  hugging  herself 
with  crossed  legs;  a  dingy,  amber-coloured,  flounced 
wrapper  of  some  thin  stuff  revealed  the  young  supple 
body  drawn  together  tensely  in  the  deep  low  seat  as 
if  crouching  for  a  spring.  I  detected  a  slight,  quiver- 
ing start  or  two,  which  looked  uncommonly  like  bound- 
ing away.  They  were  followed  by  the  most  absolute 
immobility. 

The  absurd  impulse  to  run  out  after  Jacobus  (for 
I  had  been  startled,  too)  once  repressed,  I  took  a  chair, 
placed  it  not  very  far  from  her,  sat  down  deliberately, 
and  began  to  talk  about  the  garden,  caring  not  what 
I  said,  but  using  a  gentle  caressing  intonation  as  one 
talks  to  soothe  a  startled  wild  animal.     I  could  not 


58  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

even  be  certain  that  she  understood  me.  She  never 
raised  her  face  nor  attempted  to  look  my  way.  I  kept 
on  talking  only  to  prevent  her  from  taking  flight.  She 
had  another  of  those  quivering,  repressed  starts  which 
made  me  catch  my  breath  with  apprehension. 

Ultimately  I  formed  a  notion  that  what  prevented 
her  perhaps  from  going  off  in  one  great,  nervous  leap, 
was  the  scantiness  of  her  attire.  The  wicker  arm-chair 
was  the  most  substantial  thing  about  her  person.  What 
she  had  on  under  that  dingy,  loose,  amber  wrapper  must 
have  been  of  the  most  flimsy  and  airy  character.  One 
could  not  help  being  aware  of  it.  It  was  obvious.  I 
felt  it  actually  embarrassing  at  first;  but  that  sort  of 
embarrassment  is  got  over  easily  by  a  mind  not  en- 
slaved by  narrow  prejudices.  I  did  not  avert  my  gaze 
from  Alice.  I  went  on  talking  with  ingratiating  soft- 
ness, the  recollection  that,  most  likely,  she  had  never 
before  been  spoken  to  by  a  strange  man  adding  to  my 
assurance.  I  don't  know  why  an  emotional  tenseness 
should  have  crept  into  the  situation.  But  it  did.  And 
just  as  I  was  becoming  aware  of  it  a  slight  scream  cut 
short  my  flow  of  urbane  speech. 

The  scream  did  not  proceed  from  the  girl.  It  was 
emitted  behind  me,  and  caused  me  to  turn  my  head 
sharply.  I  understood  at  once  that  the  apparition  in 
the  doorway  was  the  elderly  relation  of  Jacobus,  the 
companion,  the  gouvemante.  While  she  remained 
thunderstruck,  I  got  up  and  made  her  a  low  bow. 

The  ladies  of  Jacobus's  household  evidently  spent 
their  days  in  light  attire.     This  stumpy  old  woman 


A  SMILE  OF  rOKTUNE  59 

with  a  face  like  a  large  wrinkled  lemon,  beady  eyes, 
and  a  shock  of  iron-grey  hair,  was  dressed  in  a  garment 
of  some  ash-coloured,  silky,  light  stuff.  It  fell  from 
her  thick  neck  down  to  her  toes  with  the  simplicity  of 
an  unadorned  nightgown.  It  made  her  appear  truly 
cylindrical.   She  exclaimed :  "  How  did  you  get  here  ?  " 

Before  I  could  say  a  word  she  vanished  and  presently 
I  heard  a  confusion  of  shrill  protestations  in  a  distant 
part  of  the  house.  Obviously  no  one  could  tell  her  how 
I  got  there.  In  a  moment,  with  great  outcries  from 
two  negro  women  following  her,  she  waddled  back  to 
the  doorway,  infuriated. 

"  What  do  you  want  here  ?  " 

I  turned  to  the  girl.  She  was  sitting  straight  up 
now,  her  hands  posed  on  the  arms  of  the  chair.  I  ap- 
pealed to  her. 

"  Surely,  Miss  Alice,  you  will  not  let  them  drive  me 
out  into  the  street  ?  " 

Her  magnificent  black  eyes,  narrowed,  long  in  shape, 
swept  over  me  with  an  indefinable  expression,  then  in 
a  harsh,  contemptuous  voice  she  let  fall  in  French  a 
sort  of  explanation: 

"  C'est  papa/' 

I  made  another  low  bow  to  the  old  woman. 

She  turned  her  back  on  me  in  order  to  drive  away 
her  black  henchwomen,  then  surveying  my  person  in  a 
peculiar  manner  with  one  small  eye  nearly  closed  and 
her  face  all  drawn  up  on  that  side  as  if  with  a  twinge 
of  toothache,  she  stepped  out  on  the  verandah,  sat  down 
in  a  rocking-chair  some  distance  away,  and  took  up  her 


60  'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

knitting  from  a  little  table.  Before  she  started  at  it 
she  plunged  one  of  the  needles  into  the  mop  of  her  grey 
hair  and  stirred  it  vigorously. 

Her  elementary  nightgown-sort  of  frock  clung  to  her 
ancient,  stumpy,  and  floating  form.  She  wore  white 
cotton  stockings  and  flat  brown  velvet  slippers.  Her 
feet  and  ankles  were  obtrusively  visible  on  the  foot- 
rest.  She  began  to  rock  herself  slightly,  while  she 
knitted.  I  had  resumed  my  seat  and  kept  quiet,  for 
I  mistrusted  that  old  woman.  What  if  she  ordered 
me  to  depart?  She  seemed  capable  of  any  outrage. 
She  had  snorted  once  or  twice;  she  was  knitting 
violently.  Suddenly  she  piped  at  the  young  girl  in 
French  a  question  which  I  translate  colloquially: 

"  What's  your  father  up  to,  now  ?  " 

The  young  creature  shrugged  her  shoulders  so  com- 
prehensively that  her  whole  body  swayed  within  the 
loose  wrapper;  and  in  that  unexpectedly  harsh  voice 
which  yet  had  a  seductive  quality  to  the  senses,  like 
certain  kinds  of  natural  rough  wines  one  drinks  with 
pleasure : 

"  It's  some  captain.     Leave  me  alone  --  will  you !  " 

The  chair  rocked  quicker,  the  old,  thin  voice  was  like 
a  whistle. 

"  You  and  your  father  make  a  pair.  He  would  stick 
at  nothing  —  that's  well  known.  But  I  didn't  expect 
this." 

I  thought  it  high  time  to  air  some  of  my  own  French. 
I  remarked  modestly,  but  firmly,  that  this  was  business. 
I  had  some  matters  to  talk  over  with  Mr.  Jacobus. 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  61 

At  once  she  piped  out  a  derisive  "  Poor  innocent ! '' 
Then,  with  a  change  of  tone :  "  The  shop's  for  busi- 
ness.    Why  don't  you  go  to  the  shop  to  talk  with  him  ?  " 

The  furious  speed  of  her  fingers  and  knitting- 
needles  made  one  dizzy ;  and  with  squeaky  indignation : 

"  Sitting  here  staring  at  that  girl  —  is  that  what  you 
call  business  ? " 

"  No,"  I  said  suavely.  "  I  call  this  pleasure  —  an 
unexpected  pleasure.  And  unless  Miss  Alice  ob- 
jects   " 

I  half  turned  to  her.  She  flung  at  me  an  angry  and 
contemptuous  "  Don't  care !  "  and  leaning  her  elbow 
on  her  knees  took  her  chin  in  her  hand  —  a  Jacobus 
chin  undoubtedly.  And  those  heavy  eyelids,  this  black 
irritated  stare  reminded  me  of  Jacobus,  too  —  the 
wealthy  merchant,  the  respected  one.  The  design  of 
her  eyebrows  also  was  the  same,  rigid  and  ill-omened. 
Yes!  I  traced  in  her  a  resemblance  to  both  of  them. 
It  came  to  me  as  a  sort  of  surprising  remote  inference 
that  both  these  Jacobuses  were  rather  handsome  men 
after  all.     I  said: 

"  Oh !     Then  I  shall  stare  at  you  till  you  smile." 

She  favoured  me  again  with  an  even  more  viciously 
scornful  "  Don't  care !  " 

The  old  woman  broke  in  blunt  and  shrill : 

"  Hear  his  impudence !  And  you  too !  Don't  care ! 
Go  at  least  and  put  some  more  clothes  on.  Sitting 
there  like  this  before  this  sailor  riff-raff." 

The  sun  was  about  to  leave  the  Pearl  of  the  Ocean 
for  other  seas,  for  other  lands.     The  walled  garden  full 


62  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

of  shadows  blazed  with  colour  as  if  the  flowers  were 
giving  up  the  light  absorbed  during  the  day.  The 
amazing  old  woman  became  very  explicit.  She  sug- 
gested to  the  girl  a  corset  and  a  petticoat  with  a  cynical 
unreserve  which  humiliated  me.  Was  I  of  no  more  ac- 
count than  a  wooden  dummy?  The  girl  snapped  out: 
"Shan't!" 

It  was  not  the  naughty  retort  of  a  vulgar  child; 
it  had  a  note  of  desperation.  Clearly  my  intrusion 
had  somehow  upset  the  balance  of  their  established 
relations.  The  old  woman  knitted  with  furious  ac- 
curacy, her  eyes  fastened  down  on  her  work. 

"  Oh,  you  are  the  true  child  of  your  father !  And 
that  talks  of  entering  a  convent!  Letting  herself  be 
stared  at  by  a  fellow." 

"  Leave  off." 

"  Shameless  thing !  " 

"  Old  sorceress,"  the  girl  uttered  distinctly,  preserv- 
ing her  meditative  pose,  chin  in  hand,  and  a  far-away 
stare  over  the  garden. 

It  was  like  the  quarrel  of  the  kettle  and  the  pot.  The 
old  woman  flew  out  of  the  chair,  banged  down  her 
work,  and  with  a  great  play  of  thick  limb  perfectly 
visible  in  that  weird,  clinging  garment  of  hers,  strode 
at  the  girl  —  who  never  stirred.  I  was  experiencing 
a  sort  of  trepidation  when,  as  if  awed  by  that  uncon- 
scious attitude,  the  aged  relative  of  Jacobus  turned 
short  upon  me. 

She  was,  I  perceived,  armed  with  a  knitting-needle; 
and  as  she  raised  her  hand  her  intention  seemed  to  be  to 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  63 

throw  it  at  me  like  a  dart.  But  she  only  used  it  to 
scratch  her  head  with,  examining  me  the  while  at  close 
range,  one  eye  nearly  shut  and  her  face  distorted  by  a 
whimsical,  one-sided  grimace. 

"  My  dear  man,"  she  asked  abruptly,  "  do  you  ex- 
pect any  good  to  come  of  this  ?  " 

"  I  do  hope  so  indeed.  Miss  Jacobus."  I  tried  to 
speak  in  the  easy  tone  of  an  afternoon  caller.  "  You 
see,  I  am  here  after  some  bags." 

"  Bags !  Look  at  that  now !  Didn't  I  hear  you 
holding  forth  to  that  graceless  wretch  ? " 

"  You  would  like  to  see  me  in  my  grave,"  uttered  the 
motionless  girl  hoarsely. 

"  Grave !  What  about  me  ?  Buried  alive  before  I 
am  dead  for  the  sake  of  a  thing  blessed  with  such  a 
pretty  father !  "  she  cried ;  and  turning  to  me :  "  You're 
one  of  these  men  he  does  business  with.  Well  —  why 
don't  you  leave  us  in  peace,  my  good  fellow  ? " 

It  was  said  in  a  tone  —  this  "  leave  us  in  peace !  " 
There  was  a  sort  of  ruffianly  familiarity,  a  superiority, 
a  scorn  in  it.  I  was  to  hear  it  more  than  once,  for  you 
would  show  an  imperfect  knowledge  of  human  nature 
if  you  thought  that  this  was  my  last  visit  to  that  house 
—  where  no  respectable  person  had  put  foot  for  ever 
so  many  years.  No,  you  would  be  very  much  mistaken 
if  you  imagined  that  this  reception  had  scared  me  away. 
First  of  all  I  was  not  going  to  run  before  a  grotesque 
and  ruffianly  old  woman. 

And  then  you  mustn't  forget  these  necessary  bags. 
That  first  evening  Jacobus  made  me  stay  to  dinner; 


64  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

after,  however,  telling  me  loyally  that  he  didn^t  know 
whether  he  could  do  anything  at  all  for  me.  He  had 
heen  thinking  it  over.  It  was  too  difficult,  he  feared. 
.  .  .  But  he  did  not  give  it  up  in  so  many  words. 

We  were  only  three  at  table;  the  girl  by  means  of 
repeated  "Won't"  "Shan't!"  and  "Don't  care!" 
having  conveyed  and  affirmed  her  intention  not  to  come 
to  the  table,  not  to  have  any  dinner,  not  to  move  from 
the  verandah.  The  old  relative  hopped  about  in  her 
flat  slippers  and  piped  indignantly,  Jacobus  towered 
"*over  her  and  murmured  placidly  in  his  throat ;  I  joined 
jocularly  from  a  distance,  throwing  in  a  few  words, 
for  which  under  the  cover  of  the  night  I  received 
secretly  a  most  vicious  poke  in  the  ribs  from  the  old 
woman's  elbow  or  perhaps  her  fist.  I  restrained  a  cry. 
And  all  the  time  the  girl  didn't  even  condescend  to 
raise  her  head  to  look  at  any  of  us.  All  this  may 
sound  childish  —  and  yet  that  stony,  petulant  suUen- 
ness  had  an  obscurely  tragic  flavour. 

And  so  we  sat  down  to  the  food  around  the  light  of 
a  good  many  candles  while  she  remained  crouching 
out  there,  staring  in  the  dark  as  if  feeding  her  bad 
temper  on  the  heavily  scented  air  of  the  admirable 
garden. 

Before  leaving  I  said  to  Jacobus  that  I  would  come 
next  day  to  hear  if  the  bag  affair  had  made  any  prog- 
ress.    He  shook  his  head  slightly  at  that. 

"  I'll  haunt  your  house  daily  till  you  pull  it  off. 
You'll  be  always  finding  me  here." 


A  SMILE  OF  FOKTUNE  65 

His  faint,  melancholy  smile  did  not  part  his  thick 
lips. 

"  That  will  be  all  right,  Captain." 

Then  seeing  me  to  the  door,  very  tranquil,  he  mur- 
mured earnestly  the  recommendation :  "  Make  your- 
self at  home,"  and  also  the  hospitable  hint  about  there 
being  always  "  a  plate  of  soup."  It  was  only  on  my 
way  to  the  quay,  down  the  ill-lighted  streets,  that  I  re- 
membered I  had  been  engaged  to  dine  that  every  even- 
ing with  the  S family.     Though  vexed  with  my 

forgetfulness  (it  would  be  rather  awkward  to  explain) 
I  couldn't  help  thinking  that  it  had  procured  me  a 
more  amusing  evening.  And  besides  —  business.  The 
sacred  business . 

In  a  barefooted  negro  who  overtook  me  at  a  run  and 
bolted  down  the  landing-steps  I  recognized  Jacobus's 
boatman,  who  must  have  been  feeding  in  the  kitchen. 
His  usual  "  Good-night,  sah !  "  as  I  went  up  my  ship's 
ladder  had  a  more  cordial  sound  than  on  previous 
occasions. 

V 

I  KEPT  my  word  to  Jacobus.  I  haunted  his  home. 
He  was  perpetually  finding  me  there  of  an  after- 
noon when  he  popped  in  for  a  moment  from  the 
"  store."  The  sound  of  my  voice  talking  to  his  Alice 
greeted  him  on  his  doorstep ;  and  when  he  returned  for 
good  in  the  evening,  ten  to  one  he  would  hear  it  still 
going  on  in  the  verandah.  I  just  nodded  to  him;  he 
would  sit  down  heavily  and  gently,  and  watch  with  a 


66  'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

sort  of  approving  anxiety  my  efforts  to  make  his 
daughter  smile. 

I  called  her  often  "  Alice,"  right  before  him ;  some- 
times I  would  address  her  as  Miss  "  Don't  Care,"  and 
I  exhausted  myself  in  nonsensical  chatter  without 
succeeding  once  in  taking  her  out  of  her  peevish  and 
tragic  self.  There  were  moments  when  I  felt  I  must 
break  out  and  start  swearing  at  her  till  all  was  blue. 
And  I  fancied  that  had  I  done  so  Jacobus  would  not 
have  moved  a  muscle.  A  sort  of  shady,  intimate  under- 
standing seemed  to  have  been  established  between  us. 

I  must  say  the  girl  treated  her  father  exactly  in  the 
same  way  she  treated  me. 

And  how  could  it  have  been  otherwise  ?  She  treated 
me  as  she  treated  her  father.  She  had  never  seen  a 
visitor.  She  did  not  know*  how  men  behaved.  I 
belonged  to  the  low  lot  with  whom  her  father  did  busi- 
ness at  the  port.  I  was  of  no  account.  So  was  her 
father.  The  only  decent  people  in  the  world  were 
the  people  of  the  island,  who  would  have  nothing  to 
do  with  him  because  of  something  wicked  he  had  done. 
This  was  apparently  the  explanation  Miss  Jacobus  had 
given  her  of  the  household's  isolated  position.  For  she 
had  to  be  told  something!  And  I  feel  convinced  that 
this  version  had  been  assented  to  by  Jacobus.  I  must 
say  the  old  woman  was  putting  it  forward  with  con- 
siderable gusto.  It  was  on  her  lips  the  universal  ex- 
planation, the  universal  allusion,  the  universal  taunt. 

One  day  Jacobus  came  in  early  and,  beckoning  me 
into  the  dining-room,  wiped  his  brow  with  a  weary 


A  SMILE  OF  FOETUNE  07 

gesture  and  told  me  that  he  had  managed  to  unearth 
a  supply  of  quarter-bags. 

"  It's  fourteen  hundred  your  ship  wanted,  did  you 
say,  Captain  ? " 

"  Yes,  yes !  "  I  replied  eagerly ;  but  he  remained 
calm.  He  looked  more  tired  than  I  had  ever  seen  him 
before. 

"  Well,  Captain,  you  may  go  and  tell  your  people 
that  they  can  get  that  lot  from  my  brother." 

As  I  remained  open-mouthed  at  this,  he  added  his 
usual  placid  formula  of  assurance : 

"  You'U  find  it  correct.   Captain." 

"  You  spoke  to  your  brother  about  it  ? "  I  was 
distinctly  awed.  "  And  for  me  ?  Because  he  must 
have  known  that  my  ship's  the  only  one  hung  up  for 
bags.     How  on  earth " 

He  wiped  his  brow  again.  I  noticed  that  he  was 
dressed  with  unusual  care,  in  clothes  in  which  I  had 
never  seen  him  before.     He  avoided  my  eye. 

"  You've  heard  people  talk,  of  course.  .  .  .  That's 
true  enough.  He  .  .  .  I  .  .  .  We  certainly  .  .  .  for 
several  years  .  .  ."  His  voice  declined  to  a  mere 
sleepy  murmur.  "  You  see  I  had  something  to  tell 
him  of,  something  which " 

His  murmur  stopped.  He  was  not  going  to  tell  me 
what  this  something  was.  And  I  didn't  care.  Anx- 
ious to  carry  the  news  to  my  charterers,  I  ran  back  on 
the  verandah  to  get  my  hat. 

At  the  bustle  I  made  the  girl  turned  her  eyes  slowly 
in  my  direction,  and  even  the  old  woman  was  checked 


68  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

in  her  knitting.  I  stopped  a  moment  to  exclaim 
excitedly : 

"Your  father's  a  brick,  Miss  Don't  Care.  That's 
what  he  is." 

She  beheld  my  elation  in  scornful  surprise.  Jacobus 
with  unwonted  familiarity  seized  my  arm  as  I  flew 
through  the  dining-room,  and  breathed  heavily  at  me  a 
proposal  about  "  A  plate  of  soup "  that  evening.  I 
answered  distractedly:  "Eh?  What?  Oh,  thanks! 
Certainly.  With  pleasure,"  and  tore  myself  away. 
Dine  with  him?  Of  course.  The  merest  grati- 
tude  

But  some  three  hours  afterwards,  in  the  dusky,  silent 
street,  paved  with  cobble-stones,  I  became  aware  that  it 
was  not  mere  gratitude  which  was  guiding  my  steps 
towards  the  house  with  the  old  garden,  where  for  years 
no  guest  other  than  joajseli  had  ever  dined.  Mere 
gratitude  does  not  gnaw  at  one's  interior  economy  in 
that  particular  way.  Hunger  might;  but  I  was  not 
feeling  particularly  hungry  for  Jacobus's  food. 

On  that  occasion,  too,  the  girl  refused  to  come  to  the 
table. 

My  exasperation  grew.  The  old  woman  cast  mali- 
cious glances  at  me.  I  said  suddenly  to  Jacobus: 
"  Here !  Put  some  chicken  and  salad  on  that  plate." 
He  obeyed  without  raising  his  eyes.  I  carried  it  with 
a  knife  and  fork  and  a  serviette  out  on  the  verandah. 
The  garden  was  one  mass  of  gloom,  like  a  cemetery  of 
flowers  buried  in  the  darkness,  and  she,  in  the  chair, 
seemed   to   muse   mournfully   over   the   extinction   of 


A  SMILE  OF  FOETimE  69 

light  and  colour.  Only  whiffs  of  heavy  scent  passed 
like  wandering,  fragrant  souls  of  that  departed  multi- 
tude of  blossoms.  I  talked  volubly,  jocularly,  per- 
suasively, tenderly;  I  talked  in  a  subdued  tone.  To 
a  listener  it  would  have  sounded  like  the  murmur  of  a 
pleading  lover.  Whenever  I  paused  expectantly  there 
was  only  a  deep  silence.  It  was  like  offering  food  to 
a  seated  statute. 

"  I  haven't  been  able  to  swallow  a  single  morsel 
thinking  of  you  out  here  starving  yourself  in  the  dark. 
It's  positively  cruel  to  be  so  obstinate.  Think  of  my 
sufferings." 

"  Don't  care." 

I  felt  as  if  I  could  have  done  her  some  violence  — 
shaken  her,  beaten  her  maybe.     I  said : 

"  Your  absurd  behaviour  will  prevent  me  coming 
here  any  more." 

"What's  that  to  me?" 

"  You  like  it." 

"  It's  false,"  she  snarled. 

My  hand  fell  on  her  shoulder ;  and  if  she  had  flinched 
I  verily  believe  I  would  have  shaken  her.  But  there 
was  no  movement  and  this  immobility  disarmed  my 
anger. 

"  You  do.  Or  you  wouldn't  be  found  on  the 
verandah  every  day.  Why  are  you  here,  then? 
There  are  plenty  of  rooms  in  the  house.  You  have 
your  own  room  to  stay  in  —  if  you  did  not  want  to 
see  me.     But  you  do.     You  know  you  do." 

I  felt  a  slight  shudder  under  my  hand  and  released 


YO  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

my  grip  as  if  frightened  by  that  sign  of  animation  in 
her  body.  The  scented  air  of  the  garden  came  to  us 
in  a  warm  wave  like  a  voluptuous  and  perfumed  sigh. 

"  Go  back  to  them,"  she  whispered,  almost  pitifully. 

As  I  re-entered  the  dining-room  I  saw  Jacobus  cast 
down  his  eyes.  I  banged  the  plate  on  the  table.  At 
this  demonstration  of  ill-humour  he  murmured  some- 
thing in  an  apologetic  tone,  and  I  turned  on  him 
viciously  as  if  he  were  accountable  to  me  for  these 
"  abominable  eccentricities,"  I  believe  I  called  them. 

"  But  I  dare  say  Miss  Jacobus  here  is  responsible 
for  most  of  this  offensive  manner,"  I  added  loftily. 

She  piped  out  at  once  in  her  brazen,  ruffianly 
manner : 

"  Eh  ?  Why  don't  you  leave  us  in  peace,  my  good 
fellow?" 

I  was  astonished  that  she  should  dare  before  Jacobus. 
Yet  what  could  he  have  done  to  repress  her?  He 
needed  her  too  much.  He  raised  a  heavy,  drowsy 
glance  for  an  instant,  then  looked  down  again.  She 
insisted  with  shrill  finality : 

"  Haven't  you  done  your  business,  you  two  ?  Well, 
then " 

She  had  the  true  Jacobus  impudence,  that  old 
woman.  Her  mop  of  iron-grey  hair  was  parted  on  the 
side  like  a  man's,  raffishly,  and  she  made  as  if  to 
plunge  her  fork  into  it,  as  she  used  to  do  with  the 
knitting-needle,  but  refrained.  Her  little  black  eyes 
sparkled  venomously.  T  turned  to  my  host  at  the  head 
of  the  table  —  menacingly  as  it  were. 


A  SMILE  OF  FOKTUNE  11 

"  Well,  and  what  do  you  say  to  that,  Jacobus  ?  Am 
I  to  take  it  that  we  have  done  with  each  other  ?  " 

I  had  to  wait  a  little.  The  answer  when  it  came  was 
rather  unexpected,  and  in  quite  another  spirit  than 
the  question. 

*^  I  certainly  think  we  might  do  some  business  yet 
with  those  potatoes  of  mine,  Captain.  You  will  find 
that " 

I  cut  him  short. 

"  I've  told  you  before  that  I  don't  trade." 

His  broad  chest  heaved  without  a  sound  in  a  noise- 
less sigh. 

"  Think  it  over,  Captain,"  he  murmured,  tenacious 
and  tranquil;  and  I  burst  into  a  jarring  laugh,  re- 
membering how  he  had  stuck  to  the  circus-rider 
woman  —  the  depth  of  passion  under  that  placid 
surface,  which  even  cuts  with  a  riding-whip  (so  the 
legend  had  it)  could  never  ruffle  into  the  semblance  of 
a  storm;  something  like  the  passion  of  a  fish  would 
be  if  one  could  imagine  such  a  thing  as  a  passionate  fish. 

That  evening  I  experienced  more  distinctly  than 
ever  the  sense  of  moral  discomfort  which  always 
attended  me  in  that  house  lying  under  the  ban  of  all 
"  decent "  people,  I  refused  to  stay  on  and  smoke 
after  dinner ;  and  when  I  put  my  hand  into  the  thickly- 
cushioned  palm  of  Jacobus,  I  said  to  myself  that  it 
would  be  for  the  last  time  under  his  roof.  I  pressed 
his  bulky  paw  heartily  nevertheless.  Hadn't  he  got 
me  out  of  a  serious  difficulty?  To  the  few  words  of 
acknowledgment  I  was  bound,  and  indeed  quite  will- 


72  'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

ing,  to  utter,  he  answered  by  stretching  his  closed  lips 
in  his  melancholy,  glued-together  smile. 

"  That  will  be  all  right,  I  hope,  Captain,"  he 
breathed  out  weightily. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  I  asked,  alarmed.  "  That 
your  brother  might  yet " 

"  Oh,  no,"  he  reassured  me.  "  He  .  .  .  he's  a  man 
of  his  word,  Captain." 

My  self-communion  as  I  walked  away  from  his  door, 
trying  to  believe  that  this  was  for  the  last  time,  was 
not  satisfactory.  I  was  aware  myself  that  I  was  not 
sincere  in  my  reflections  as  to  Jacobus's  motives,  and, 
of  course,  the  very  next  day  I  went  back  again. 

How  weak,  irrational,  and  absurd  we  are!  How 
easily  carried  away  whenever  our  awakened  imagina- 
tion brings  us  the  irritating  hint  of  a  desire !  I  cared 
for  the  girl  in  a  particular  way,  seduced  by  the  moody 
expression  of  her  face,  by  her  obstinate  silences,  her 
rare,  scornful  words;  by  the  perpetual  pout  of  her 
closed  lips,  the  black  depths  of  her  fixed  gaze  turned 
slowly  upon  me  as  if  in  contemptuous  provocation, 
only  to  be  averted  next  moment  with  an  exasperating 
indifference. 

Of  course  the  news  of  my  assiduity  had  spread  all 
over  the  little  town.  I  noticed  a  change  in  the  manner 
of  my  acquaintances  and  even  something  different  in 
the  nods  of  the  other  captains,  when  meeting  them  at 
the  landing-steps  or  in  the  offices  where  business  called 
me.  The  old-maidish  head  clerk  treated  me  with 
distant  punctiliousness  and,  as  it  were,  gathered  his 


A  SMILE  OF  FOKTUNE  73 

skirts  round  him  for  fear  of  contamination.  It  seemed 
to  me  that  the  very  niggers  on  the  quays  turned  to 
look  after  me  as  I  passed;  and  as  to  Jacobus's  boat- 
man his  "  Good-night,  sah !  "  when  he  put  me  on  board 
was  no  longer  merely  cordial  —  it  had  a  familiar,  con- 
fidential sound  as  though  we  had  been  partners  in  some 
villainy. 

My  friend  S the  elder  passed  me  on  the  other 

side  of  the  street  with  a  wave  of  the  hand  and  an 
ironic  smile.  The  younger  brother,  the  one  they  had 
married  to  an  elderly  shrew,  he,  on  the  strength  of  an 
older  friendship  and  as  if  paying  a  debt  of  gratitude, 
took  the  liberty  to  utter  a  word  of  warning. 

"  You're  doing  yourself  no  good  by  your  choice  of 
friends,  my  dear  chap,"  he  said  with  infantile  gravity. 

As  I  knew  that  the  meeting  of  the  brothers  Jacobus 
was  the  subject  of  excited  comment  in  the  whole  of 
the  sugary  Pearl  of  the  Ocean  I  wanted  to  know  why 
I  was  blamed. 

"  I  have  been  the  occasion  of  a  move  which  may 
end  in  a  reconciliation  surely  desirable  from  the  point 
of  view  of  the  proprieties  —  don't  you  know  ?  " 

"  Of  course,  if  that  girl  were  disposed  of  it  would 
certainly  facilitate "  he  mused  sagely,  then,  in- 
consequential creature,  gave  me  a  light  tap  on  the 
lower  part  of  my  waistcoat.  "  You  old  sinner,"  he 
cried  jovially,  "  much  you  care  for  proprieties.  But 
you  had  better  look  out  for  yourself,  you  know,  with 
a  personage  like  Jacobus  who  has  no  sort  of  reputation 
to  lose." 


74  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

He  had  recovered  his  gravity  of  a  respectable  citizen 
by  that  time  and  added  regretfully: 

^'  All  the  women  of  our  family  are  perfectly 
scandalised." 

But  by  that  time  I  had  given  up  visiting  the  S 

family  and  the  D family.     The  elder  ladies  pulled 

such  faces  when  I  showed  myself,  and  the  multitude 
of  related  young  ladies  received  me  with  such  a  variety 
of  looks:  wondering,  awed,  mocking  (except  Miss 
Mary,  who  spoke  to  me  and  looked  at  me  with  hushed, 
pained  compassion  as  though  I  had  been  ill),  that  I 
had  no  difficulty  in  giving  them  all  up.  I  would  have 
given  up  the  society  of  the  whole  town,  for  the  sake 
of  sitting  near  that  girl,  snarling  and  superb  and  barely 
clad  in  that  flimsy,  dingy,  amber  wrapper,  open  low 
at  the  throat.  She  looked,  with  the  wild  wisps  of  hair 
hanging  down  her  tense  face,  as  though  she  had  just 
jumped  out  of  bed  in  the  panic  of  a  fire. 

She  sat  leaning  on  her  elbow,  looking  at  nothing. 
Why  did  she  stay  listening  to  my  absurd  chatter? 
And  not  only  that;  but  why  did  she  powder  her  face 
in  preparation  for  my  arrival?  It  seemed  to  be  her 
idea  of  making  a  toilette,  and  in  her  untidy  negligence 
a  sign  of  great  effort  towards  personal  adornment. 

But  I  might  have  been  mistaken.  The  powdering 
might  have  been  her  daily  practice  and  her  presence 
in  the  verandah  a  sign  of  an  indifference  so  complete 
as  to  take  no  account  of  my  existence.  Well,  it  was 
all  one  to  me. 

I  loved  to  watch  her  slow  changes  of  pose,  to  look 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  76 

at  her  long  immobilities  composed  in  the  graceful  lines 
of  her  body,  to  observe  the  mysterious  narrow  stare 
of  her  splendid  black  eyes,  somewhat  long  in  shape, 
half  closed,  contemplating  the  void.  She  was  like  a 
spellbound  creature  with  the  forehead  of  a  goddess 
crowned  by  the  dishevelled  magnificent  hair  of  a  gipsy 
tramp.  Even  her  indijfference  was  seductive.  I  felt 
myself  growing  attached  to  her  by  the  bond  of  an 
irrealisable  desire,  for  I  kept  my  head  —  quite.  And 
I  put  up  with  the  moral  discomfort  of  Jacobus's  sleepy 
watchfulness,  tranquil,  and  yet  so  expressive;  as  if 
there  had  been  a  tacit  pact  between  us  two.  I  put 
up  with  the  insolence  of  the  old  woman's :  "  Aren't 
you  ever  going  to  leave  us  in  peace,  my  good 
fellow  ? "  with  her  taunts ;  with  her  brazen  and  sinister 
scolding.  She  was  of  the  true  Jacobus  stock,  and  no 
mistake. 

Directly  I  got  away  from  the  girl  I  called  myself 
many  hard  names.  What  folly  was  this  ?  I  would 
ask  myself.  It  was  like  being  the  slave  of  some 
depraved  habit.  And  I  returned  to  her  with  my 
head  clear,  my  heart  certainly  free,  not  even  moved 
by  pity  for  that  castaway  (she  was  as  much  of  a  cast- 
away as  any  one  ever  wrecked  on  a  desert  island),  but 
as  if  beguiled  by  some  extraordinary  promise.  iNToth- 
ing  more  unworthy  could  be  imagined.  The  recollec- 
tion of  that  tremulous  whisper  when  I  gripped  her 
shoulder  with  one  hand  and  held  a  plate  of  chicken 
with  the  other  was  enough  to  make  me  break  all  my 
good  resolutions. 


16  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

Her  insulting  taciturnity  was  enough  sometimes  to 
make  one  gnash  one's  teeth  with  rage.  When  she 
opened  her  mouth  it  was  only  to  be  abominably  rude 
in  harsh  tones  to  the  associate  of  her  reprobate 
father;  and  the  full  approval  of  her  aged  relative  was 
conveyed  to  her  by  offensive  chuckles.  If  not  that, 
then  her  remarks,  always  uttered  in  the  tone  of  scath- 
ing contempt,  were  of  the  most  appalling  inanity. 

How  could  it  have  been  otherwise?  That  plump, 
ruffianly  Jacobus  old  maid  in  the  tight  grey  frock  had 
never  taught  her  any  manners.  Manners  I  suppose 
are  not  necessary  for  born  castaways.  No  educational 
establishment  could  ever  be  induced  to  accept  her 
as  a  pupil  —  on  account  of  the  proprieties,  I  imagine. 
And  Jacobus  had  not  been  able  to  send  her  away  any- 
where. How  could  he  have  done  it?  Who  with? 
Where  to?  He  himself  was  not  enough  of  an  adven- 
turer to  think  of  settling  down  anywhere  else.  His 
passion  had  tossed  him  at  the  tail  of  a  circus  up  and 
down  strange  coasts,  but,  the  storm  over,  he  had  drifted 
back  shamelessly  where,  social  outcast  as  he  was,  he 
remained  still  a  Jacobus  —  one  of  the  oldest  families 
on  the  island,  older  than  the  French  even.  There  must 
have  been  a  Jacobus  in  at  the  death  of  the  last 
Dodo.  .  .  .  The  girl  had  learned  nothing,  she  had 
never  listened  to  a  general  conversation,  she  knew 
nothing,  she  had  heard  of  nothing.  She  could  read 
certainly ;  but  all  the  reading  matter  that  ever  came  in 
her  way  were  the  newspapers  provided  for  the  cap- 
tains' room  of  the  "  store."     Jacobus  had  the  habit  of 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  77 

taking  these  sheets  home  now  and  then  in  a  very 
stained  and  ragged  condition. 

As  her  mind  could  not  grasp  the  meaning  of  any 
matters  treated  there  except  police-conrt  reports  and 
accounts  of  crimes,  she  had  formed  for  herself  a  notion 
of  the  civilised  world  as  a  scene  of  murders,  abductions, 
burglaries,  stabbing  affrays,  and  every  sort  of  desperate 
violence.  England  and  France,  Paris  and  London 
(the  only  two  towns  of  which  she  seemed  to  have 
heard),  appeared  to  her  sinks  of  abomination,  reeking 
with  blood,  in  contrast  to  her  little  island  where  petty 
larceny  was  about  the  standard  of  current  misdeeds, 
with,  now  and  then,  some  more  pronounced  crime  — 
and  that  only  amongst  the  imported  coolie  labourers 
on  sugar  estates  or  the  negroes  of  the  town.  But  in 
Europe  these  things  were  being  done  daily  by  a  wicked 
population  of  white  men  amongst  whom,  as  that 
ruffianly,  aristocratic  old  Miss  Jacobus  pointed  out, 
the  wandering  sailors,  the  associates  of  her  precious 
papa,  were  the  lowest  of  the  low. 

It  was  impossible  to  give  her  a  sense  of  proportion. 
I  suppose  she  figured  England  to  herself  as  about  the 
size  of  the  Pearl  of  the  Ocean;  in  which  case  it  would 
certainly  have  been  reeking  with  gore  and  a  mere 
wreck  of  burgled  houses  from  end  to  end.  One  could 
not  make  her  understand  that  these  horrors  on  which 
she  fed  her  imagination  were  lost  in  the  mass  of  orderly 
life  like  a  few  drops  of  blood  in  the  ocean.  She  directed 
upon  me  for  a  moment  the  uncomprehending  glance 
of  her  narrowed  eyes  and  then  would  turn  her  scornful 


78  'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

powdered  face  away  without  a  word.  She  would  not 
even  take  the  trouble  to  shrug  her  shoulders. 

At  that  time  the  batches  of  papers  brought  by  the 
last  mail  reported  a  series  of  crimes  in  the  East  End 
of  London,  there  was  a  sensational  case  of  abduction 
in  France  and  a  fine  display  of  armed  robbery  in 
Australia.  One  afternoon  crossing  the  dining-room  I 
heard  Miss  Jacobus  piping  in  the  verandah  with 
venomous  animosity :  "I  don't  know  what  your 
precious  papa  is  plotting  with  that  fellow.  But  he's 
just  the  sort  of  man  who's  capable  of  carrying  you  off 
far  away  somewhere  and  then  cutting  your  throat  some 
day  for  your  money." 

There  was  a  good  half  of  the  length  of  the  verandah 
between  their  chairs.  I  came  out  and  sat  down  fiercely 
midway  between  them. 

"  Yes,  that's  what  we  do  with  girls  in  Europe,"  I 
began  in  a  grimly  matter-of-fact  tone.  I  think  Miss 
Jacobus  was  disconcerted  by  my  sudden  appearance.  I 
turned  upon  her  with  cold  ferocity: 

"As  to  the  objectionable  old  women,  they  are  first 
strangled  quietly,  then  cut  up  into  small  pieces  and 
thrown  away,  a  bit  here  and  a  bit  there.  They  van- 
ish  " 

I  cannot  go  so  far  as  to  say  I  had  terrified  her.  But 
she  was  troubled  by  my  truculence,  the  more  so  because 
I  had  been  always  addressing  her  with  a  politeness  she 
did  not  deserve.  Her  plump,  knitting  hands  fell 
slowly  on  her  knees.  She  said  not  a  word  while  I  fixed 
her  with  severe  determination.     Then  as  I  turned  away 


A  SMILE  OF  FOETUNE  Y9 

from  her  at  last,  she  laid  down  her  work  gently  and, 
with  noiseless  movements,  retreated  from  the  verandah. 
In  fact,  she  vanished. 

But  I  was  not  thinking  of  her.  I  was  looking  at 
the  girl.  It  was  what  I  was  coming  for  daily;  trou- 
bled, ashamed,  eager;  finding  in  my  nearness  to  her  a 
imique  sensation  which  I  indulged  with  dread,  self- 
contempt,  and  deep  pleasure,  as  if  it  were  a  secret  vice 
bound  to  end  in  my  undoing,  like  the  habit  of  some  drug 
or  other  which  niins  and  degrades  its  slave. 

I  looked  her  over,  from  the  top  of  her  dishevelled 
head,  down  the  lovely  line  of  the  shoulder,  following 
the  curve  of  the  hip,  the  draped  form  of  the  long  limb, 
right  down  to  her  fine  ankle  below  a  torn,  soiled 
flounce;  and  as  far  as  the  point  of  the  shabby,  high- 
heeled,  blue  slipper,  dangling  from  her  well-shaped 
foot,  which  she  moved  slightly,  with  quick,  nervous 
jerks,  as  if  impatient  of  my  presence.  And  in  the 
scent  of  the  massed  flowers  I  seemed  to  breathe  her 
special  and  inexplicable  charm,  the  heady  perfume  of 
the  everlastingly  irritated  captive  of  the  garden. 

I  looked  at  her  rounded  chin,  the  Jacobus  chin;  at 
the  full,  red  lips  pouting  in  the  powdered,  sallow  face ; 
at  the  firm  modelling  of  the  cheek,  the  grains  of  white 
in  the  hairs  of  the  straight  sombre  eyebrows;  at  the 
long  eyes,  a  narrowed  gleam  of  liquid  white  and  in- 
tense motionless  black,  with  their  gaze  so  empty  of 
thought,  and  so  absorbed  in  their  fixity  that  she  seemed 
to  be  staring  at  her  own  lonely  image,  in  some  far-off 
mirror  hidden  from  my  sight  amongst  the  trees. 


80  'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

And  suddenly,  without  looking  at  me,  with  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  person  speaking  to  herself,  she  asked, 
in  that  voice  slightly  harsh  yet  mellow  and  always  ir- 
ritated : 

"  Why  do  you  keep  on  coming  here  ? " 

"  Why  do  I  keep  on  coming  here  ? "  I  repeated, 
taken  hy  surprise.  I  could  not  have  told  her.  I  could 
not  even  tell  myself  with  sincerity  why  I  was  coming 
there.  "What's  the  good  of  you  asking  a  question 
like  that?" 

"  Nothing  is  any  good,"  she  observed  scornfully  to 
the  empty  air,  her  chin  propped  on  her  hand,  that 
hand  never  extended  to  any  man,  that  no  one  had  ever 
grasped  —  for  I  had  only  grasped  her  shoulder  once 
—  that  generous,  fine,  somewhat  masculine  hand.  I 
knew  well  the  peculiarly  efficient  shape  —  broad  at  the 
base,  tapering  at  the  fingers  —  of  that  hand,  for  which 
there  was  nothing  in  the  world  to  lay  hold  of.  I  pre- 
tended to  be  playfuL 

"  No !     But  do  you  really  care  to  know  ?  " 

She  shrugged  indolently  her  magnificent  shoulders, 
from  which  the  dingy  thin  wrapper  was  slipping  a 
little. 

"  Oh  —  never  mind  —  never  mind !  " 

There  was  something  smouldering  under  those  airs 
of  lassitude.  She  exasperated  me  by  the  provocation 
of  her  nonchalance,  by  something  elusive  and  defiant 
in  her  very  form  which  I  wanted  to  seiza  I  said 
roughly : 


A  SMILE  OF  FOETUNE  81 

"Why?  Don't  you  think  I  should  tell  you  the 
truth?" 

Her  eyes  glided  my  way  for  a  sidelong  look,  and 
she  murmured,  moving  only  her  full,  pouting  lips : 

"  I  think  you  would  not  dare." 

"  Do  you  imagine  I  am  afraid  of  you  ?  What  on 
earth.  .  .  .  Well,  it's  possible,  after  all,  that  I  don't 
know  exactly  why  I  am  coming  here.  Let  us  say, 
with  Miss  Jacobus,  that  it  is  for  no  good.  You  seem 
to  believe  the  outrageous  things  she  says,  if  you  do 
have  a  row  with  her  now  and  then." 

She  snapped  out  viciously: 

"  Who  else  am  I  to  believe  ? " 

"  I  don't  know,"  I  had  to  own,  seeing  her  suddenly 
very  helpless  and  condemned  to  moral  solitude  by  the 
verdict  of  a  respectable  community.  "  You  might  be- 
lieve me,  if  you  chose." 

She  made  a  slight  movement  and  asked  me  at  once, 
with  an  effort  as  if  making  an  experiment: 

"  What  is  the  business  between  you  and  papa  ? " 

"  Don't  you  know  the  nature  of  your  father's  bus- 
iness?    Come!     He  sells  provisions  to  ships." 

She  became  rigid  again  in  her  crouching  pose. 

"!N'ot  that.  What  brings  you  here  —  to  this 
house?" 

"  And  suppose  it's  you  ?  You  would  not  call  that 
business?  Would  you?  And  now  let  us  drop  the 
subject.  It's  no  use.  My  ship  wiU  be  ready  for  sea 
the  day  after  to-inorrow." 


82  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

She  murmured  a  distinctly  scared  "  So  soon,"  and 
getting  up  quickly,  went  to  the  little  table  and  poured 
herself  a  glass  of  water.  She  walked  with  rapid  steps 
and  with  an  indolent  swaying  of  her  whole  young  figure 
above  the  hips;  when  she  passed  near  me  I  felt  with 
tenfold  force  the  charm  of  the  peculiar,  promising  sen- 
sation I  had  formed  the  habit  to  seek  near  her.  I 
thought  with  sudden  dismay  that  this  was  the  end  of 
it;  that  after  one  more  day  I  would  be  no  longer  able 
to  come  into  this  verandah,  sit  on  this  chair,  and  taste 
perversely  the  flavour  of  contempt  in  her  indolent 
poses,  drink  in  the  provocation  of  her  scornful  looks, 
and  listen  to  the  curt,  insolent  remarks  uttered  in  that 
harsh  and  seductive  voice.  As  if  my  innermost  nature 
had  been  altered  by  the  action  of  some  moral  poison,  I 
felt  an  abject  dread  of  going  to  sea. 

I  had  to  exercise  a  sudden  self-control,  as  one  puts 
on  a  brake,  to  prevent  myself  jumping  up  to  stride 
about,  shout,  gesticulate,  make  her  a  scene.  What  for  ? 
What  about  ?  I  had  no  idea.  It  was  just  the  relief  of 
violence  that  I  wanted ;  and  I  lolled  ba  k  in  my  chair, 
trying  to  keep  my  lips  formed  in  a  smile;  that  half- 
indulgent,  half-mocking  smile  which  was  my  shield 
against  the  shafts  of  her  contempt  and  the  insulting 
sallies  flung  at  me  by  the  old  woman. 

She  drank  the  water  at  a  draught,  with  the  avidity 
of  raging  thirst,^  and  let  herself  fall  on  the  nearest 
chair,  as  if  utterly  overcome.  Her  attitude,  like  cer- 
tain tones  of  her  voice,  had  in  it  something  masculine: 
the  knees   apart  in  the  ample  wrapper,   the  clasped 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  83 

hands  hanging  between  them,  her  body  leaning  for- 
ward, with  drooping  head.  I  stared  at  the  heavy 
black  coil  of  twisted  hair.  It  was  enormous,  crowning 
the  bowed  head  with  a  crushing  and  disdained  glory. 
The  escaped  wisps  hung  straight  down.  And  sud- 
denly I  perceived  that  the  girl  was  trembling  from 
head  to  foot,  as  though  that  glass  of  iced  water  had 
chilled  her  to  the  bone. 

"What's  the  matter  now?"  I  said,  startled,  but  in 
no  very  sympathetic  mood. 

She  shook  her  bowed,  overweighted  head  and  cried 
in  a  stifled  voice  but  with  a  rising  inflection : 

"  Go  away !     Go  away !     Go  away !  " 

I  got  up  then  and  approached  her,  with  a  strange 
sort  of  anxiety.  I  looked  down  at  her  round,  strong 
neck,  then  stooped  low  enough  to  peep  at  her  face. 
And  I  began  to  tremble  a  little  myself. 

"What  on  earth  are  you  gone  wild  about,  Miss 
Don't  Care?" 

She  flung  herself  backwards  violently,  her  head  go- 
ing over  the  back  of  the  chair.  And  now  it  was  her 
smooth,  full,  palpitating  throat  that  lay  exposed  to  my 
bewildered  stare.  Her  eyes  were  nearly  closed,  with 
only  a  horrible  white  gleam  under  the  lids  as  if  she 
were  dead. 

"  What  has  come  to  you  ?  "  I  asked  in  awe.  "  What 
are  you  terrifying  yourself  with  ?  " 

She  pulled  herself  together,  her  eyes  open  fright- 
fully wide  now.  The  tropical  afternoon  was  length- 
ening the  shadows  on  the  hot,  weary  earth,  the  abode  of 


84:  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

obscure  desires,  of  extravagant  hopes,  of  unimaginable 
terrors. 

"  Never  mind !  Don't  care !  "  Then,  after  a  gasp, 
she  spoke  with  such  frightful  rapidity  that  I  could 
hardly  make  out  the  amazing  words :  "  For  if  you 
were  to  shut  me  up  in  an  empty  place  as  smooth  all 
round  as  the  palm  of  my  hand,  I  could  always  strangle 
myself  with  my  hair." 

For  a  moment,  doubting  my  ears,  I  let  this  incon- 
ceivable declaration  sink  into  me.  It  is  ever  impos- 
sible to  guess  at  the  wild  thoughts  that  pass  through 
the  heads  of  our  fellow-creatures.  What  monstrous 
imaginings  of  violence  could  have  dwelt  under  the  low 
forehead  of  that  girl  who  had  been  taught  to  regard 
her  father  as  "  capable  of  anything  "  more  in  the  light 
of  a  misfortune  than  that  of  a  disgrace;  as,  evidently, 
something  to  be  resented  and  feared  rather  than  to 
be  ashamed  of?  She  seemed,  indeed,  as  unaware  of 
shame  as  of  anything  else  in  the  world;  but  in  her 
ignorance,  her  resentment  and  fear  took  a  childish  and 
violent  shape. 

Of  course  she  spoke  without  knowing  the  value  of 
words.  What  could  she  know  of  death  —  she  who 
knew  nothing  of  life?  It  was  merely  as  the  proof  of 
her  being  beside  herself  with  some  odious  apprehension, 
that  this  extraordinary  speech  had  moved  me,  not  to 
pity,  but  to  a  fascinated,  horrified  wonder.  I  had  no 
idea  what  notion  she  had  of  her  danger.  Some  sort 
of  abduction.  It  was  quite  possible  with  the  talk  of 
that  atrocious  old  woman.     Perhaps-  she  thought  she 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  85 

could  be  carried  off,  bound  hand  and  foot  and  even 
gagged.  At  that  surmise  I  felt  as  if  the  door  of  a 
furnace  had  been  opened  in  front  of  me. 

"  Upon  my  honour !  "  I  cried.  "  You  shall  end  by 
going  crazy  if  you  listen  to  that  abominable  old  aunt 
of  yours " 

I  studied  her  haggard  expression,  her  trembling 
lips.  Her  cheeks  even  seemed  sunk  a  little.  But 
how  I,  the  associate  of  her  disreputable  father,  the 
"  lowest  of  the  low  "  from  the  criminal  Europe,  could 
manage  to  reassure  her  I  had  no  conception.  She  was 
exasperating. 

"Heavens  and  earth!  What  do  you  think  I  can 
do?" 

"  I  don't  know." 

Her  chin  certainly  trembled.  And  she  was  looking 
at  me  with  extreme  attention.  I  made  a  step  nearer 
to  her  chair. 

"  I  shall  do  nothing.  I  promise  you  that.  Will 
that  do?  Do  you  understand?  I  shall  do  nothing 
whatever,  of  any  kind;  and  the  day  after  to-morrow  I 
shall  be  gone." 

What  else  could  I  have  said?  She  seemed  to  drink 
in  my  words  with  the  thirsty  avidity  with  which  she 
had  emptied  the  glass  of  water.  She  whispered  trem- 
ulously, in  that  touching  tone  I  had  heard  once  be- 
fore on  her  lips,  and  which  thrilled  me  again  with  the 
same  emotion: 

"  I  would  believe  you.     But  what  about  papa " 

"  He  be  hanged !  "     My  emotion  betrayed  itself  by 


86  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

the  brutality  of  my  tone.  "  IVe  had  enough  of  your 
papa.  Are  you  so  stupid  as  to  imagine  that  I  am 
frightened  of  him?     He  can't  make  me  do  anything." 

All  that  sounded  feeble  to  me  in  the  face  of  her 
ignorance.  But  I  must  conclude  that  the  "  accent  of 
sincerity  "  has,  as  some  people  say,  a  really  irresistible 
power.  The  effect  was  far  beyond  my  hopes  —  and 
even  beyond  my  conception.  To  watch  the  change  in 
the  girl  was  like  watching  a  miracle  —  the  gradual 
but  swift  relaxation  of  her  tense  glance,  of  her  stiffened 
muscles,  of  every  fibre  of  her  body.  That  black,  fixed 
stare  into  which  I  had  read  a  tragic  meaning  more 
than  once,  in  which  I  had  found  a  sombre  seduction, 
was  perfectly  empty  now,  void  of  all  consciousness 
whatever,  and  not  even  aware  any  longer  of  my  pres- 
ence; it  had  become  a  little  sleepy,  in  the  Jacobus 
fashion. 

But,  man  being  a  perverse  animal,  instead  of  re- 
joicing at  my  complete  success,  I  beheld  it  with  as- 
tounded and  indignant  eyes.  There  was  something 
cynical  in  that  unconcealed  alteration,  the  true  Ja- 
cobus shamelessness.  I  felt  as  though  I  had  been 
cheated  in  some  rather  complicated  deal  into  which  I 
had  entered  against  my  better  judgment.  Yes, 
cheated  without  any  regard  for,  at  least,  the  forms  of 
decency. 

With  an  easy,  indolent,  and  in  its  indolence  supple, 
feline  movement,  she  rose  from  the  chair,  so  provok- 
ingly  ignoring  me  now,  that  for  very  rage  I  held  my 
ground  within  less  than  a  foot  of  her.     Leisurely  and 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  87 

tranquil,  behaving  right  before  me  with  the  ease  of  a 
person  alone  in  a  room,  she  extended  her  beautiful 
arms,  with  her  hands  clenched,  her  body  swaying,  her 
head  thrown  back  a  little,  revelling  contemptuously  in 
a  sense  of  relief,  easing  her  limbs  in  freedom  after  all 
these  days  of  crouching,  motionless  poses  when  she 
had  been  so  furious  and  so  afraid. 

All  this  with  supreme  indifference,  incredible,  of- 
fensive, exasperating,  like  ingratitude  doubled  with 
treachery. 

I  ought  to  have  been  flattered,  perhaps,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  my  anger  grew ;  her  movement  to  pass  by  me 
as  if  I  were  a  wooden  post  or  a  piece  of  furniture, 
that  unconcerned  movement  brought  it  to  a  head. 

I  won't  say  I  did  not  know  what  I  was  doing,  but, 
certainly,  cool  reflection  had  nothing  to  do  with  the 
circumstance  that  next  moment  both  my  arms  were 
round  her  waist.  It  was  an  impulsive  action,  as  one 
snatches  at  something  falling  or  escaping;  and  it  had 
no  hypocritical  gentleness  about  it  either.  She  had 
no  time  to  make  a  sound,  and  the  first  kiss  I  planted 
on  her  closed  lips  was  vicious  enough  to  have  been  a 
bite. 

She  did  not  resist,  and  of  course  I  did  not  stop  at 
one.  She  let  me  go  on,  not  as  if  she  were  inanimate 
—  I  felt  her  there,  close  against  me,  young,  full  of 
vigour,  of  life,  a  strong  desirable  creature,  but  as  if 
she  did  not  care  in  the  least,  in  the  absolute  assurance 
of  her  safety,  what  I  did  or  left  undone.  Our  faces 
brought    close    together   in    this    storm    of   haphazard 


88  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

caresses,  her  big,  black,  wide-open  eyes  looked  into 
mine  without  the  girl  appearing  either  angry  or  pleased 
or  moved  in  any  way.  In  that  steady  gaze  which 
seemed  impersonally  to  watch  my  madness  I  could  de- 
tect a  slight  surprise,  perhaps  —  nothing  more.  I 
showered  kisses  upon  her  face  and  there  did  not  seem 
to  be  any  reason  why  this  should  not  go  on  for  ever. 

That  thought  flashed  through  my  head,  and  I  was 
on  the  point  of  desisting,  when,  all  at  once,  she  began 
to  struggle  with  a  sudden  violence  which  all  but  freed 
her  instantly,  which  revived  my  exasperation  with  her, 
indeed  a  fierce  desire  never  to  let  her  go  any  more. 
I  tightened  my  embrace  in  time,  gasping  out :  "  No 
■ —  you  don't ! ''  as  if  she  were  my  mortal  enemy.  On 
her  part  not  a  word  was  said.  Putting  her  hands 
against  my  chest,  she  pushed  with  all  her  might  with- 
out succeeding  to  break  the  circle  of  my  arms.  Except 
that  she  seemed  thoroughly  awake  now,  her  eyes  gave 
me  no  clue  whatever.  To  meet  her  black  stare  was 
like  looking  into  a  deep  well,  and  I  was  totally  unpre- 
pared for  her  change  of  tactics.  Instead  of  trying  to 
tear  my  hands  apart,  she  flung  herself  upon  my  breast 
and  with  a  downward,  undulating,  serpentine  motion, 
a  quick  sliding  dive,  she  got  away  from  me  smoothly. 
It  w^as  all  very  swift ;  I  saw  her  pick  up  the  tail  of  her 
wrapper  and  run  for  the  door  at  the  end  of  the  veran- 
dah not  very  gracefully.  She  appeared  to  be  limping 
a  little  —  and  then  she  vanished ;  the  door  swung  be- 
hind her  so  noiselessly  that  I  could  not  believe  it  was 
completely  closed.     I  had  a  distinct  suspicion  of  her 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  89 

black  eye  being  at  the  crack  to  watch  what  I  would  do. 
I  could  not  make  up  my  mind  whether  to  shake  my  fist 
in  that  direction  or  blow  a  kiss. 


VI 

Either  would  have  been  perfectly  consistent  with  my 
feelings.  I  gazed  at  the  door,  hestitating,  but  in  the 
end  I  did  neither.  The  monition  of  some  sixth  sense 
—  the  sense  of  guilt,  maybe,  that  sense  which  always 
acts  too  late,  alas !  —  warned  me  to  look  round ;  and 
at  once  I  became  aware  that  the  conclusion  of  this 
tumultuous  episode  was  likely  to  be  a  matter  of  lively 
anxiety.  Jacobus  was  standing  in  the  doorway  of  the 
dining-room.  How  long  he  had  been  there  it  was 
impossible  to  guess;  and  remembering  my  struggle 
with  the  girl  I  thought  he  must  have  been  its  mute 
witness  from  beginning  to  end.  But  this  supposition 
seemed  almost  incredible.  Perhaps  that  impenetra- 
ble girl  had  heard  him  come  in  and  had  got  away  in 
time. 

He  stepped  on  to  the  verandah  in  his  usual  manner, 
heavy-eyed,  with  glued  lips.  I  marvelled  at  the  girFs 
resemblance  1>  this  man.  Those  long,  Egyptian  eyes, 
that  low  forehead  of  a  stupid  goddess,  she  had  foimd 
in  the  sawdust  of  the  circus ;  but  all  the  rest  of  the  face, 
the  design  and  the  modelling,  the  rounded  chin,  the 
very  lips  —  all  that  was  Jacobus,  fined  down,  more 
finished,  more  expressive. 

His  thick  hand  fell  on  and  grasped  with  force  the 


90  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

back  of  a  light  chair  (there  were  several  standing 
about)  and  I  perceived  the  chance  of  a  broken  head  at 
the  end  of  all  this  —  most  likely.  My  mortification 
was  extreme.  The  scandal  would  be  horrible;  that 
was  unavoidable  But  how  to  act  so  as  to  satisfy  my- 
self I  did  not  know.  I  stood  on  my  guard  and  at  any 
rate  faced  him.  There  was  nothing  else  for  it.  Of 
one  thing  I  was  certain,  that,  however  brazen  my  atti- 
tude, it  could  never  equal  the  characteristic  Jacobus 
impudence. 

He  gave  me  his  melancholy,  glued  smile  and  sat 
down.  I  own  I  was  relieved.  The  perspective  of 
passing  from  kisses  to  blows  had  nothing  particularly 
attractive  in  it.  Perhaps  —  perhaps  he  had  seen 
nothing?  He  behaved  as  usual,  but  he  had  never  be- 
fore found  me  alone  on  the  verandah.  If  he  had 
alluded  to  it,  if  he  had  asked :  "  Where's  Alice  ?  "  or 
something  of  the  sort,  I  would  have  been  able  to  judge 
from  the  tone.  He  would  give  me  no  opportunity. 
The  striking  peculiarity  was  that  he  had  never  looked 
up  at  me  yet.  "  He  knows,"  I  said  to  myself  con- 
fidently. And  my  contempt  for  him  relieved  my  dis- 
gust with  myself. 

"  You  are  early  home,"  I  remarked. 

"  Things  are  very  quiet ;  nothing  doing  at  the  store 
to-day,"  he  explained  with  a  cast-down  air. 

"  Oh,  well,  you  know,  I  am  off,"  I  said,  feeling  that 
this,  perhaps,  was  the  best  thing  to  do. 

"  Yes,"  he  breathed  out.     "  Day  after  to-morrow." 

This  was  not  what  I  had  meant;  but  as  he  gazed 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  91 

persistently  on  the  floor,  I  followed  the  direction  of 
his  glance.  In  the  absolute  stillness  of  the  house  we 
stared  at  the  high-heeled  slipper  the  girl  had  lost  in 
her  flight.     We  stared.     It  lay  overturned. 

After  what  seemed  a  very  long  time  to  me,  Jacobus 
hitched  his  chair  forward,  stooped  with  extended  arm 
and  picked  it  up.  It  looked  a  slender  thing  in  his  big, 
thick  hands.  It  was  not  really  a  slipper,  but  a  low 
shoe  of  blue,  glazed  kid,  rubbed  and  shabby.  It  had 
straps  to  go  over  the  instep,  but  the  girl  only  thrust  her 
feet  in,  after  her  slovenly  manner.  Jacobus  raised 
his  eyes  from  the  shoe  to  look  at  me. 

"  Sit  down,  Captain,"  he  said  at  last,  in  his  subdued 
tone. 

As  if  the  sight  of  that  shoe  had  renewed  the  spell,  I 
gave  up  suddenly  the  idea  of  leaving  the  house  there 
and  then.  It  had  become  impossible.  I  sat  down, 
keeping  my  eyes  on  the  fascinating  object.  Jacobus 
turned  his  daughter's  shoe  over  and  over  in  his  cush- 
ioned paws  as  if  studying  the  way  the  thing  was  made. 
He  contemplated  the  thin  sole  for  a  time;  then  glan- 
cing inside  with  an  absorbed  air: 

"  I  am  glad  I  found  you  here,  Captain." 

I  answered  this  by  some  sort  of  grunt,  watching  him 
covertly.  Then  I  added:  "You  won't  have  much 
more  of  me  now." 

He  was  still  deep  in  the  interior  of  that  shoe  on 
which  my  eyes  too  were  resting. 

"  Have  you  thought  any  more  of  this  deal  in  pota- 
toes I  spoke  to  you  about  the  other  day  ? " 


»2  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

"  No,  I  haven't,"  I  answered  curtly.  He  checked 
my  movement  to  rise  hy  an  austere,  commanding 
gesture  of  the  hand  holding  that  fatal  shoe.  I  re- 
mained seated  and  glared  at  him.  "  You  know  I 
don't  trade." 

"  You  ought  to,  Captain.     You  ought  to." 

I  reflected.  If  I  left  that  house  now  I  would  never 
see  the  girl  again.  And  I  felt  I  must  see  her  once 
more,  if  only  for  an  instant.  It  was  a  need,  not  to  be 
reasoned  with,  not  to  be  disregarded.  No,  I  did  not 
want  to  go  away.  I  wanted  to  stay  for  one  more  ex- 
perience of  that  strange  provoking  sensation  and  of 
indefinite  desire,  the  habit  of  which  had  made  me  — 
me  of  all  people !  —  dread  the  prospect  of  going  to  sea. 

"  Mr.  Jacobus,"  I  pronounced  slowly.  "  Do  you 
really  think  that  upon  the  whole  and  taking  various 
matters  into  consideration  —  I  mean  everything,  do 
you  understand?  —  it  would  be  a  good  thing  for  me 
to  trade,  let  us  say,  with  you  ? " 

I  waited  for  a  while.  He  went  on  looking  at  the 
shoe  which  he  held  now  crushed  in  the  middle,  the 
worn  point  of  the  toe  and  the  high  heel  protruding  on 
each  side  of  his  heavy  fist. 

"  That  will  be  all  right,"  he  said,  facing  me  squarely 
at  last. 

"  Are  you  sure  ? " 

"  You'll  find  it  quite  correct.  Captain."  He  had 
uttered  his  habitual  phrases  in  his  usual  placid,  breath- 
saving  voice  and  stood  my  hard,  inquisitive  stare  sleep- 
ily without  as  much  as  a  wink. 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  93 

"  Then  let  us  trade,"  I  said,  turning  my  shoulder  to 
him.     "  I  see  you  are  hent  on  it." 

I  did  not  want  an  open  scandal,  but  I  thought  that 
outward  decency  may  be  bought  too  dearly  at  times. 
I  included  Jacobus,  myself,  the  whole  population  of  the 
island,  in  the  same  contemptuous  disgust  as  though 
we  had  been  partners  in  an  ignoble  transaction.  And 
the  remembered  vision  at  sea,  diaphanous  and  blue,  of 
the  Pearl  of  the  Ocean  at  sixty  miles  off;  the  unsub- 
stantial, clear  marvel  of  it  as  if  evoked  by  the  art  of  a 
beautiful  and  pure  magic,  turned  into  a  thing  of  hor- 
rors too.  Was  this  the  fortune  this  vaporous  and  rare 
apparition  had  held  for  me  in  its  hard  heart,  hidden 
within  the  shape  as  of  fair  dreams  and  mist?  Was 
this  my  luck  ? 

'*  I  think  " —  Jacobus  became  suddenly  audible  after 
what  seemed  the  silence  of  vile  meditation  — "  that 
you  might  conveniently  take  some  thirty  tons.  That 
would  be  about  the  lot,  Captain." 

"  Would  it  ?  The  lot !  I  dare  say  it  would  be  con- 
venient, but  I  haven't  got  enough  money  for  that." 

I  had  never  seen  him  so  animated. 

"  'No !  "  he  exclaimed  with  what  I  took  for  the  accent 
of  grim  menace.  *^  That's  a  pity."  He  paused,  then, 
unrelenting :  "  How  much  money  have  you  got.  Cap- 
tain?" he  inquired  with  awful  directness. 

It  was  my  turn  to  face  him  squarely.  I  did  so  and 
mentioned  the  amount  I  could  dispose  of.  And  I  per- 
ceived that  he  was  disappointed.  He  thought  it  over, 
his  calculating  gaze  lost  in  mine,  for  quite  a  long  time 


94  'TWIXT  LAOT)  AND  SEA 

before  lie  came  out  in  a  thoughtful  tone  with  the  ra- 
pacious suggestion: 

"  You  could  draw  some  more  from  your  charterers. 
That  would  be  quite  easy,  Captain." 

"  "No,  I  couldn't,"  I  retorted  brusquely.  "  I've 
drawn  my  salary  up  to  date,  and  besides,  the  ship's 
accounts  are  closed." 

I  was  growing  furious.  I  pursued :  "  And  I'll  tell 
you  what:  if  I  could  do  it  I  wouldn't."  Then  throw- 
ing off  all  restraint,  I  added :  "  You  are  a  bit  too 
much  of  a  Jacobus,  Mr.  Jacobus." 

The  tone  alone  was  insulting  enough,  but  he  remained 
tranquil,  only  a  little  puzzled,  till  something  seemed 
to  dawn  upon  him;  but  the  unwonted  light  in  his 
eyes  died  out  instantly.  As  a  Jacobus  on  his  native 
heath,  what  a  mere  skipper  chose  to  say  could  not 
touch  him,  outcast  as  he  was.  As  a  ship-chandler  he 
could  stand  anything.  All  I  caught  of  his  mumble  was 
a  vague  — "  quite  correct,"  than  which  nothing  could 
have  been  more  egregiously  false  at  bottom  —  to  my 
view,  at  least.  But  I  remembered  —  I  had  never  for- 
gotten—  that  I  must  see  the  girl.  I  did  not  mean 
to  go.  I  meant  to  stay  in  the  house  till  I  had  seen  her 
once  more. 

"Look  here!"  I  said  finally.  "I'll  tell  you  what 
I'll  do.  I'll  take  as  many  of  your  confounded  potatoes 
as  my  money  will  buy,  on  condition  that  you  go  off 
at  once  down  to  the  wharf  to  see  them  loaded  in  the 
lighter  and  sent  alongside .  the  ship  straight  away. 
Take  the  invoice  and  a  signed  receipt  with  you.     Here's 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  95 

the  key  of  my  desk.     Give  it  to  Bums.     He  will  pay 

you." 

He  got  up  from  his  chair  before  I  had  finished  speak- 
ing, but  he  refused  to  take  the  key.  Bums  would 
never  do  it.     He  wouldn't  like  to  ask  him  even. 

"  Well,  then,"  I  said,  eyeing  him  slightingly, 
"  there's  nothing  for  it,  Mr.  Jacobus,  but  you  must  wait 
on  board  till  I  come  off  to  settle  with  you." 

"  That  will  be  all  right.  Captain.     I  will  go  at  once." 

He  seemed  at  a  loss  what  to  do  with  the  girl's  shoe 
he  was  still  holding  in  his  fist.  Finally,  looking  dully 
at  me,  he  put  it  down  on  the  chair  from  which  he  had 
risen. 

"  And  you,  Captain  ?  Won't  you  come  along,  too, 
just  to  see " 

"  Don't  bother  about  me.     I'll  take  care  of  myself." 

He  remained  perplexed  for  a  moment,  as  if  trying 
to  understand ;  and  then  his  weighty :  "  Certainly, 
certainly.  Captain,"  seemed  to  be  the  outcome  of  some 
sudden  thought.  His  big  chest  heaved.  Was  it  a 
sigh?  As  he  went  out  to  hurry  off  those  potatoes  he 
never  looked  back  at  me. 

I  waited  till  the  noise  of  his  footsteps  had  died  out 
of  the  dining-room,  and  I  waited  a  little  longer.  Then 
turning  towards  the  distant  door  I  raised  my  voice 
along  the  verandah : 

"Alice!" 

Nothing  answered  me,  not  even  a  stir  behind  the 
door.  Jacobus's  house  might  have  been  made  empty 
for  me  to  make  myself  at  home  in.     I  did  not  call 


96  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

again.  I  had  become  aware  of  a  great  discouragement. 
I  was  mentally  jaded,  morally  dejected.  I  turned  to 
the  garden  again,  sitting  down  with  my  elbows  spread 
on  the  low  balustrade,  and  took  my  head  in  my  hands. 

The  evening  closed  upon  me.  The  shadows  length- 
ened, deepened,  mingled  together  into  a  pool  of  twi- 
light in  which  the  flower-beds  glowed  like  coloured 
embers;  whiffs  of  heavy  scent  came  to  me  as  if  the 
dusk  of  this  hemisphere  were  but  the  dimness  of  a 
temple  and  the  garden  an  enormous  censer  swinging 
before  the  altar  of  the  stars.  The  colours  of  the  blos- 
soms deepened,  losing  their  glow  one  by  one. 

The  girl,  when  I  turned  my  head  at  a  slight  noise, 
appeared  to  me  very  tall  and  slender,  advancing  with 
a  swaying  limp,  a  floating  and  uneven  motion  which 
ended  in  the  sinking  of  her  shadowy  form  into  the 
deep  low  chair.  And  I  don't  know  why  or  whence  I 
received  the  impression  that  she  had  come  too  late. 
She  ought  to  have  appeared  at  my  call.  She  ought  to 
have  ...  It  was  as  if  a  supreme  opportunity  had 
been  missed. 

I  rose  and  took  a  seat  close  to  her,  nearly  opposite 
her  arm-chair.  Her  ever  discontented  voice  addressed 
me  at  once,  contemptuously: 

"  You  are  still  here." 

I  pitched  mine  low. 

"  You  have  come  out  at  last." 

"  I  came  to  look  for  my  shoe  —  before  they  bring  in 
the  lights." 

It  was  her  harsh,   enticing  whisper,   subdued,   not 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  97 

very  steady,  but  its  low  tremulousness  gave  me  no  thrill 
now.  I  could  only  make  out  the  oval  of  her  face, 
her  uncovered  throat,  the  long,  white  gleam  of  her 
eyes.  She  was  mysterious  enough.  Her  hands  were 
resting  on  the  arms  of  the  chair.  But  where  was  the 
mysterious  and  provoking  sensation  which  was  like 
the  perfume  of  her  flower-like  youth  ?     I  said  quietly : 

"  I  have  got  your  shoe  here."  She  made  no  sound 
and  I  continued :  "  You  had  better  give  me  your  foot 
and  I  will  put  it  on  for  you." 

She  made  no  movement.  I  bent  low  down  and 
groped  for  her  foot  under  the  flounces  of  the  wrapper. 
She  did  not  withdraw  it  and  I  put  on  the  shoe,  button- 
ing the  instep-strap.  It  was  an  inanimate  foot.  I 
lowered  it  gently  to  the  floor. 

"  If  you  buttoned  the  strap  you  would  not  be  losing 
your  shoe.  Miss  Don't  Care,"  I  said,  trying  to  be  play- 
ful without  conviction.  I  felt  more  like  wailing  over 
the  lost  illusion  of  vague  desire,  over  the  sudden  con- 
viction that  I  would  never  find  again  near  her  the 
strange,  half-evil,  half-tender  sensation  which  had 
given  its  acrid  flavour  to  so  many  days,  which  had 
made  her  appear  tragic  and  promising,  pitiful  and 
provoking.     That  was  all  over. 

"  Your  father  picked  it  up,"  I  said,  thinking  she 
may  just  as  well  be  told  of  the  fact. 

"  I  am  not  afraid  of  papa  —  by  himself,"  she  de- 
clared scornfully. 

"  Oh !  It's  only  in  conjunction  with  his  disrepu- 
table associates,  strangers,  the  '  riff-raff  of  Europe '  as 


98  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

your  charming  aunt  or  great-aunt  says  —  men  like  me, 
for  instance  —  that  you " 

"  I  am  not  afraid  of  you,"  she  snapped  out. 

"  That's  because  you  don't  know  that  I  am  now 
doing  business  with  your  father.  Yes,  I  am  in  fact 
doing  exactly  what  he  wants  me  to  do.  IVe  broken 
my  promise  to  you.  That's  the  sort  of  man  I  am. 
And  now  —  aren't  you  afraid  ?  If  you  believe  what 
that  dear,  kind,  truthful  old  lady  says  you  ought  to 
be." 

It  was  with  unexpected  modulated  softness  that  she 
affirmed: 

"  No.  I'm  not  afraid."  She  hesitated.  ..."  Not 
now." 

"  Quite  right.  You  needn't  be.  I  shall  not  see 
you  again  before  I  go  to  sea."  I  rose  and  stood  near 
her  chair.  "  But  I  shall  often  think  of  you  in  this  old 
garden,  passing  under  the  trees  over  there,  walking 
between  these  gorgeous  flower-beds.  You  must  love 
this  garden " 

"  I  love  nothing." 

I  heard  in  her  sullen  tone  the  faint  echo  of  that 
resentfully  tragic  note  which  I  had  found  once  so  pro- 
voking. But  it  left  me  unmoved  except  for  a  sudden 
and  weary  conviction  of  the  emptiness  of  all  things 
under  Heaven. 

"  Good-bye,  Alice,"  I  said. 

She  did  not  answer,  she  did  not  move.  To  merely 
take  her  hand,  shake  it,  and  go  away  seemed  impossi- 
ble,  almost   improper.     I  stooped  without  haste  and 


A  SMILE  OF  FOETUNE  99 

pressed  my  lips  to  her  smooth  forehead.  This  was  the 
moment  when  I  realised  clearly  with  a  sort  of  terror 
my  complete  detachment  from  that  unfortunate  crea- 
ture. And  as  I  lingered  in  that  cruel  seK-knowledge 
I  felt  the  light  touch  of  her  arms  falling  languidly  on 
my  neck  and  received  a  hasty,  awkward,  haphazard  kiss 
which  missed  my  lips.  "No  I  She  was  not  afraid ;  but 
I  was  no  longer  moved.  Her  arms  slipped  off  my  neck 
slowly,  she  made  no  sound,  the  deep  wicker  arm-chair 
creaked  slightly ;  only  a  sense  of  my  dignity  prevented 
me  fleeing  headlong  from  that  catastrophic  revelation. 

I  traversed  the  dining-room  slowly.  I  thought: 
She's  listening  to  my  footsteps ;  she  can't  help  it ;  she'll 
hear  me  open  and  shut  that  door.  And  I  closed  it  as 
gently  behind  me  as  if  I  had  been  a  thief  retreating 
with  his  ill-gotten  booty.  During  that  stealthy  act  I 
experienced  the  last  touch  of  emotion  in  that  house,  at 
the  thought  of  a  girl  I  had  left  sitting  there  in  the  ob- 
scurity, with  her  heavy  hair  and  empty  eyes  as  black 
as  the  night  itseK,  staring  into  the  walled  garden, 
silent,  warm,  odorous  with  the  perfume  of  imprisoned 
flowers,  which,  like  herself,  were  lost  to  sight  in  a  world 
buried  in  darkness. 

The  narrow,  ill-lighted,  rustic  streets  I  knew  so  well 
on  my  way  to  the  harbour  were  extremely  quiet.  I 
felt  in  my  heart  that  the  further  one  ventures  the  bet- 
ter one  understands  how  everything  in  our  life  is  com- 
mon, short,  and  empty;  that  it  is  in  seeking  the 
unknown  in  our  sensations  that  we  discover  how  medi- 
ocre are  our  attempts  and  how  soon  defeated!     Ja- 


100  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

cobus's  boatman  was  waiting  at  the  steps  with  an  un- 
usual air  of  readiness.  He  put  me  alongside  the  ship, 
but  did  not  give  me  his  confidential  "  Good-evening, 
sah,"  and,  instead  of  shoving  off  at  once,  remained 
holding  by  the  ladder. 

I  was  a  thousand  miles  from  commercial  affairs, 
when  on  the  dark  quarter-deck  Mr.  Bums  positively 
rushed  at  me,  stammering  with  excitement.  He  had 
been  pacing  the  deck  distractedly  for  hours  awaiting 
my  arrival.  Just  before  sunset  a  lighter  loaded  with 
potatoes  had  come  alongside  with  that  fat  ship-chandler 
himself  sitting  on  the  pile  of  sacks.  He  was  now  stuck 
immovable  in  the  cabin.  What  was  the  meaning  of  it 
all  ?     Surely  I  did  not 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Burns,  I  did,"  I  cut  him  short.  He  was 
beginning  to  make  gestures  of  despair  when  I  stopped 
that,  too,  by  giving  him  the  key  of  my  desk  and  desir- 
ing him,  in  a  tone  which  admitted  of  no  argument,  to 
go  below  at  once,  pay  Mr.  Jacobus's  bill,  and  send  him 
out  of  the  ship. 

"  I  don't  want  to  see  him,"  I  confessed  frankly, 
climbing  the  poop-ladder.  I  felt  extremely  tired. 
Dropping  on  the  seat  of  the  skylight,  I  gave  myself  up 
to  idle  gazing  at  the  lights  about  the  quay  and  at  the 
black  mass  of  the  mountain  on  the  south  side  of  the 
harbour.  I  never  heard  Jacobus  leave  the  ship  with 
every  single  sovereign  of  my  ready  cash  in  his  pocket. 
I  never  heard  anything  till,  a  long  time  afterwards, 
Mr.  Bums,  unable  to  contain  himself  any  longer,  in- 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  101 

traded  upon  me  with  his  ridiculously  angry  lamenta- 
tions at  my  weakness  and  good  nature. 

"  Of  course,  there's  plenty  of  room  in  the  after- 
hatch.  But  they  are  sure  to  go  rotten  down  there. 
Well!  I  never  heard  .  .  .  seventeen  tons!  I  sup- 
pose I  must  hoist  in  that  lot  first  thing  to-morrow  morn- 
ing." 

"  I  suppose  you  must.  Unless  you  drop  them  over- 
board. But  I'm  afraid  you  can't  do  that.  I  wouldn't 
mind  myself,  but  it's  forbidden  to  throw  rubbish  into 
the  harbour,  you  know." 

"  That  is  the  truest  word  you  have  said  for  many  a 
day,  sir  —  rubbish.  That's  just  what  I  expect  they 
are.  N^early  eighty  good  gold  sovereigns  gone;  a  pei^ 
fectly  clean  sweep  of  your  drawer,  sir.  Bless  me  if  I 
understand !  " 

As  it  was  impossible  to  throw  the  right  light  on  this 
commercial  transaction  I  left  him  to  his  lamentations 
and  under  the  impression  that  I  was  a  hopeless  fool. 
!N'ext  day  I  did  not  go  ashore.  For  one  thing,  I  had 
no  money  to  go  ashore  with  —  no,  not  enough  to  buy 
a  cigarette.  Jacobus  had  made  a  clean  sweep.  But 
that  was  not  the  only  reason.  The  Pearl  of  the  Ocean 
had  in  a  few  short  hours  grown  odious  to  me.  And  I 
did  not  want  to  meet  any  one.  My  reputation  had 
suffered.  I  knew  I  was  the  object  of  unkind  and  sar- 
castic comments. 

The  following  morning  at  sunrise,  just  as  our  stern- 
fasts  had  been  let  go  and  the  tug  plucked  us  out  from 


102  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

between  the  buoys,  I  saw  Jacobus  standing  up  in  his 
boat.  The  nigger  was  pulling  hard;  several  baskets 
of  provisions  for  ships  were  stowed  between  the 
thwarts.  The  father  of  Alice  was  going  his  morning 
round.  His  countenance  was  tranquil  and  friendly. 
He  raised  his  arm  and  shouted  something  with  great 
heartiness.  But  his  voice  was  of  the  sort  that  doesn't 
carry  any  distance ;  all  I  could  catch  faintly,  or  rather 
guess  at,  were  the  words  "  next  time  "  and  "  quite  cor- 
rect." And  it  was  only  of  these  last  that  I  was  cer- 
tain. Eaising  my  arm  perfunctorily  for  all  response, 
I  turned  away.  I  rather  resented  the  familiarity  of 
the  thing.  Hadn't  I  settled  accounts  finally  with  him 
by  means  of  that  potato  bargain  ? 

This  being  a  harbour  story  it  is  not  my  purpose  to 
speak  of  our  passage.  I  was  glad  enough  to  be  at  sea, 
but  not  with  the  gladness  of  old  days.  Formerly  I 
had  no  memories  to  take  away  with  me.  I  shared  in 
the  blessed  forgetfulness  of  sailors,  that  forgetfulness 
natural  and  invincible,  which  resembles  innocence  in 
so  far  that  it  prevents  self-examination.  Now  how- 
ever I  remembered  the  girl.  During  the  first  few  days 
I  was  for  ever  questioning  myself  as  to  the  nature  of 
facts  and  sensations  connected  with  her  person  and 
with  my  conduct. 

And  I  must  say  also  that  Mr.  Bums'  intolerable 
fussing  with  those  potatoes  was  not  calculated  to  make 
me  forget  the  part  which  I  had  played.  He  looked 
upon  it  as  a  purely  commercial  transaction  of  a  par- 
ticularly foolish  kind,   and  his  devotion  —  if  it  was 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  103 

devotion  and  not  mere  cussedness  as  I  came  to  regard 
it  before  long  —  inspired  him  with  a  zeal  to  minimise 
my  loss  as  much  as  possible.  Oh,  yes!  He  took  care 
of  those  infamous  potatoes  with  a  vengeance,  as  the 
saying  goes. 

Everlastingly,  there  was  a  tackle  over  the  after- 
hatch  and  everlastingly  the  watch  on  deck  were  pulling 
up,  spreading  out,  picking  over,  rebagging,  and  lower- 
ing down  again,  some  part  of  that  lot  of  potatoes.  My 
bargain  with  all  its  remotest  associations,  mental  and 
visual  —  the  garden  of  flowers  and  scents,  the  girl  with 
her  provoking  contempt  and  her  tragic  loneliness  of  a 
hopeless  castaway  —  was  everlastingly  dangled  before 
my  eyes,  for  thousands  of  miles  along  the  open  sea. 
And  as  if  by  a  satanic  refinement  of  irony  it  was  ac- 
companied by  a  most  awful  smell.  Whiffs  from  de- 
caying potatoes  pursued  me  on  the  poop,  they  mingled 
with  my  thoughts,  with  my  food,  poisoned  my  very 
dreams.  They  made  an  atmosphere  of  corruption  for 
the  ship. 

I  remonstrated  with  Mr.  Burns  about  this  excessive 
care.  I  would  have  been  well  content  to  batten  the 
hatch  down  and  let  them  perish  under  the  deck. 

That  perhaps  would  have  been  unsafe.  The  horrid 
emanations  might  have  flavoured  the  cargo  of  sugar. 
They  seemed  strong  enough  to  taint  the  very  ironwork. 
In  addition  Mr.  Bums  made  it  a  personal  matter.  He 
assured  me  he  knew  how  to  treat  a  cargo  of  potatoes 
at  sea  —  had  been  in  the  trade  as  a  boy,  he  said.  He 
meant  to  make  my  loss  as  small  as  possible.     What 


104  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

between  his  devotion  —  it  must  have  been  devotion  — 
and  his  vanity,  I  positively  dared  not  give  him  the 
order  to  throw  my  commercial  venture  overboard.  I 
believe  he  would  have  refused  point  blank  to  obey  my 
lawful  command.  An  unprecedented  and  comical  sit- 
uation would  have  been  created  with  which  I  did  not 
feel  equal  to  deal. 

I  welcomed  the  coming  of  bad  weather  as  no  sailor 
had  ever  done.  When  at  last  I  hove  the  ship  to,  to 
pick  up  the  pilot  outside  of  Port  Philip  Heads,  the 
after-hatch  had  not  been  opened  for  more  than  a  week 
and  I  might  have  believed  that  no  such  thing  a€  a 
potato  had  ever  been  on  board. 

It  was  an  abominable  day,  raw,  blustering,  with 
great  squalls  of  wind  and  rain ;  the  pilot,  a  cheery  per- 
son, looked  after  the  ship  and  chatted  to  me,  streaming 
from  head  to  foot;  and  the  heavier  the  lash  of  the 
downpour  the  more  pleased  with  himself  and  every- 
thing around  him  he  seemed  to  be.  He  rubbed  his  wet 
hands  with  a  satisfaction,  which  to  me,  who  had  stood 
that  kind  of  thing  for  several  days  and  nights,  seemed 
inconceivable  in  any  non-aquatic  creature. 

*^  You  seem  to  enjoy  getting  wet,  Pilot,"  I  remarked. 

He  had  a  bit  of  land  round  his  house  in  the  suburbs 
and  it  was  of  his  garden  he  was  thinking.  At  the 
sound  of  the  word  garden,  unheard,  unspoken  for  so 
many  days,  I  had  a  vision  of  gorgeous  colour,  of  sweet 
scents,  of  a  girlish  figure  crouching  in  a  chair.  Yes. 
That  was  a  distinct  emotion  breaking  into  the  peace  I 
had  found  in  the  sleepless  anxieties  of  my  responsi- 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  105 

bility  during  a  week  of  dangerous  bad  weather.  The 
Colony,  the  pilot  explained,  had  suffered  from  unparal- 
leled drought.  This  was  the  first  decent  drop  of  water 
they  had  had  for  seven  months.  The  root  crops  were 
lost.  And,  trying  to  be  casual,  but  with  visible  inter- 
est, he  asked  me  if  I  had  perchance  any  potatoes  to 
spare. 

Potatoes!  I  had  managed  to  forget  them.  In  a 
moment  I  felt  plunged  into  corruption  up  to  my  neck. 
Mr.  Bums  was  making  eyes  at  me  behind  the  pilot's 
back. 

Finally,  he  obtained  a  ton,  and  paid  ten  pounds  for 
it.  This  was  twice  the  price  of  my  bargain  with  Ja- 
cobus. The  spirit  of  covetousness  woke  up  in  me. 
That  night,  in  harbour,  before  I  slept,  the  Custom 
House  galley  came  alongside.  While  his  underlings 
were  putting  seals  on  the  store-rooms,  the  officer  in 
charge  took  me  aside  confidentially.  "  I  say.  Captain, 
you  don't  happen  to  have  any  potatoes  to  sell." 

Clearly  there  was  a  potato  famine  in  the  land.  I 
let  him  have  a  ton  for  twelve  pounds  and  he  went  away 
joyfully.  That  night  I  dreamt  of  a  pile  of  gold  in  the 
form  of  a  grave  in  which  a  girl  was  buried,  and  woke 
up  callous  with  greed.  On  calling  at  my  ship-brok- 
er's office,  that  man,  after  the  usual  business  had  been 
transacted,  pushed  his  spectacles  up  on  his  forehead. 

"  I  was  thinking,  Captain,  that  coming  from  the 
Pearl  of  the  Ocean  you  may  have  some  potatoes  to  sell." 

I  said  negligently :  "  Oh,  yes,  I  could  spare  you  a 
ton.     Fifteen  pounds." 


106  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

He  exclaimed :  "  I  say !  "  But  after  studying  my 
face  for  awhile  accepted  my  terms  with  a  faint  grimace. 
It  seems  that  these  people  could  not  exist  without  po- 
tatoes. I  could.  I  didn't  want  to  see  a  potato  as  long 
as  I  lived ;  but  the  demon  of  lucre  had  taken  possession 
of  me.  How  the  news  got  about  I  don't  know,  but, 
returning  on  board  rather  late,  I  found  a  small  group 
of  men  of  the  coster  type  hanging  about  the  waist, 
while  Mr.  Bums  walked  to  and  fro  the  quarterdeck 
loftily,  keeping  a  triumphant  eye  on  them.  They  had 
come  to  buy  potatoes. 

"  These  chaps  have  been  waiting  here  in  the  sun  for 
hours,"  Bums  whispered  to  me  excitedly.  "  They 
have  drunk  the  water-cask  dry.  Don't  you  throw  away 
your  chances,  sir.     You  are  too  good-natured." 

I  selected  a  man  with  thick  legs  and  a  man  with  a 
cast  in  his  eye  to  negotiate  with;  simply  because  they 
were  easily  distinguishable  from  the  rest.  "  You  have 
the  money  on  you?"  I  inquired,  before  taking  them 
down  into  the  cabin. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  they  answered  in  one  voice,  slapping 
their  pockets.  I  liked  their  air  of  quiet  determination. 
Long  before  the  end  of  the  day  all  the  potatoes  were 
sold  at  about  three  times  the  price  I  had  paid  for  them. 
Mr.  Burns,  feverish  and  exulting,  congratulated  him- 
self on  his  skilful  care  of  my  commercial  venture,  but 
hinted  plainly  that  I  ought  to  have  made  more  of  it. 

That  night  I  did  not  sleep  very  well.  I  thought  of 
Jacobus  by  fits  and  starts,  between  snatches  of  dreams 


A  SMILE  or  FOETUNE  107 

concerned  with  castaways  starving  on  a  desert  island 
covered  with  flowers.  It  was  extremely  unpleasant. 
In  the  morning,  tired  and  nnrefreshed,  I  sat  down  and 
wrote  a  long  letter  to  my  owners,  giving  them  a  care- 
fully-thought-out scheme  for  the  ship's  employment  in 
the  East  and  about  the  China  Seas  for  the  next  two 
years.  I  spent  the  day  at  that  task  and  felt  somewhat 
more  at  peace  when  it  was  done. 

Their  reply  came  in  due  course.  They  were  greatly 
struck  with  my  project ;  hut  considering  that,  notwith- 
standing the  unfortunate  difficulty  with  the  bags 
(which  they  trusted  I  would  know  how  to  guard 
against  in  the  future),  the  voyage  showed  a  very  fair 
profit,  they  thought  it  would  be  better  to  keep  the  ship 
in  the  sugar  trade  —  at  least  for  the  present. 

I  turned  over  the  page  and  read  on : 

"  We  have  had  a  letter  from  our  good  friend  Mr. 
Jacobus.  We  are  pleased  to  see  how  well  you  have 
.hit  it  off  with  him;  for,  not  to  speak  of  his  assistance 
in  the  unfortunate  matter  of  the  bags,  he  writes  us 
that  should  you,  by  using  all  possible  dispatch,  manage 
to  bring  the  ship  back  early  in  the  season  he  would  be 
able  to  give  us  a  good  rate  of  freight.  We  have  no 
doubt  that  your  best  endeavours  .  .  .  etc.  .  .  .  etc." 

I  dropped  the  letter  and  sat  motionless  for  a  long 
time.  Then  I  wrote  my  answer  (it  was  a  short  one) 
and  went  ashore  myself  to  post  it.  But  I  passed  one 
letter-box,  then  another,  and  in  the  end  found  myself 
going  up  Collins   Street  with  the  letter  still  in  my 


108  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

pocket  —  against  my  heart.  Collins  Street  at  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  is  not  exactly  a  desert  solitude ; 
but  I  had  never  felt  more  isolated  from  the  rest  of 
mankind  as  when  I  walked  that  day  its  crowded  pave- 
ment, battling  desperately  with  my  thoughts  and  feel- 
ing already  vanquished. 

There  came  a  moment  when  the  awful  tenacity  of 
Jacobus,  the  man  of  one  passion  and  of  one  idea,  ap- 
peared to  me  almost  heroic.  He  had  not  given  me 
up.  He  had  gone  again  to  his  odious  brother.  And 
then  he  appeared  to  me  odious  himself.  Was  it  for 
his  own  sake  or  for  the  sake  of  the  poor  girl  ?  And  on 
that  last  supposition  the  memory  of  the  kiss  which 
missed  my  lips  appalled  me ;  for  whatever  he  had  seen, 
or  guessed  at,  or  risked,  he  knew  nothing  of  that.  Un- 
less the  girl  had  told  him.  How  could  I  go  back  to 
fan  that  fatal  spark  with  my  cold  breath?  No,  no, 
that  unexpected  kiss  had  to  be  paid  for  at  its  full  price. 

At  the  first  letter-box  I  came  to  I  stopped  and  reach- 
ing into  my  breast-pocket  I  took  out  the  letter  —  it 
was  as  if  I  were  plucking  out  my  very  heart  —  and 
dropped  it  through  the  slit.  Then  I  went  straight  on 
board. 

I  wondered  what  dreams  I  would  have  that  night; 
but  as  it  turned  out  I  did  not  sleep  at  all.  At  break- 
fast I  informed  Mr.  Bums  that  I  had  resigned  my 
command. 

He  dropped  his  knife  and  fork  and  looked  at  me 
with  indignation. 

"  You  have,  sir !     I  thought  you  loved  the  ship." 


A  SMILE  OF  FORTUNE  109 

"  So  I  do,  Burns,"  I  said.  "  But  the  fact  is  that  the 
Indian  Ocean  and  everything  that  is  in  it  has  lost  its 
charm  for  me.  I  am  going  home  as  passenger  by  the 
Suez  Canal." 

"  Everything  that  is  in  it,"  he  repeated  angrily. 
"  I've  never  heard  anybody  talk  like  this.  And  to  tell 
you  the  truth,  sir,  all  the  time  we  have  been  together 
I've  never  quite  made  you  out.  What's  one  ocean 
more  than  another  ?     Charm,  indeed !  " 

He  was  really  devoted  to  me,  I  believe.  But  he 
cheered  up  when  I  told  him  that  I  had  recommended 
him  for  my  successor. 

"  Anyhow,"  he  remarked,  "  let  people  say  what  they 
like,  this  Jacobus  has  served  your  turn.  I  must  ad- 
mit that  this  potato  business  has  paid  extremely  well. 
Of  course,  if  only  you  had " 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Bums,"  I  interrupted.  "  Quite  a  smile 
of  fortune." 

But  I  could  not  tell  him  that  it  was  driving  me  out 
of  the  ship  I  had  learned  to  love.  And  as  I  sat  heavy- 
hearted  at  that  parting,  seeing  all  my  plans  destroyed, 
my  modest  future  endangered  —  for  this  command  was 
like  a  foot  in  the  stirrup  for  a  young  man  —  he  gave  up 
completely  for  the  first  time  his  critical  attitude. 

"  A  wonderful  piece  of  luck ! "  he  said. 


THE  SECRET  SHARER 
AN  EPISODE  FROM  THE  COAST 


111 


THE  SECRET  SHAEER 


ON"  my  right  hand  there  were  lines  of  fishing-stakes 
resembling  a  mysterious  system  of  half-sub- 
merged bamboo  fences,  incomprehensible  in  its  division 
of  the  domain  of  tropical  fishes,  and  crazy  of  aspect  as 
if  abandoned  forever  by  some  nomad  tribe  of  fisher- 
men now  gone  to  the  other  end  of  the  ocean ;  for  there 
was  no  sign  of  human  habitation  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  reach.  To  the  left  a  group  of  barren  islets,  sug- 
gesting ruins  of  stone  walls,  towers,  and  blockhouses, 
had  its  foundations  set  in  a  blue  sea  that  itself  looked 
solid,  so  still  and  stable  did  it  lie  below  my  feet;  even 
the  track  of  light  from  the  westering  sun  shone 
smoothly,  without  that  animated  glitter  which  tells  of 
an  imperceptible  ripple.  And  when  I  turned  my  head 
to  take  a  parting  glance  at  the  tug  which  had  just  left 
us  anchored  outside  the  bar,  I  saw  the  straight  line 
of  the  flat  shore  joined  to  the  stable  sea,  edge  to  edge, 
with  a  perfect  and  unmarked  closeness,  in  one  levelled 
floor  half  brown,  half  blue  under  the  enormous  dome 
of  the  sky.  Corresponding  in  their  insignificance  to 
the  islets  of  the  sea,  two  small  clumps  of  trees,  one 
on  each  side  of  the  only  fault  in  the  impeccable  joint, 

marked  the  mouth  of  the  river  Meinam  we  had  just 

113 


114  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

left  on  the  first  preparatory  stage  of  our  homeward 
journey ;  and,  far  back  on  the  inland  level,  a  larger  and 
loftier  mass,  the  grove  surrounding  the  great  Paknara 
pagoda,  v^^as  the  only  thing  on  which  the  eye  could  rest 
from  the  vain  task  of  exploring  the  monotonous  sweep 
of  the  horizon.  Here  and  there  gleams  as  of  a  few 
scattered  pieces  of  silver  marked  the  windings  of  the 
great  river;  and  on  the  nearest  of  them,  just  within 
the  bar,  the  tug  steaming  right  into  the  land  became 
lost  to  my  sight,  hull  and  funnel  and  masts,  as  though 
the  impassive  earth  had  swallowed  her  up  without  an 
effort,  without  a  tremor.  My  eye  followed  the  light 
cloud  of  her  smoke,  now  here,  now  there,  above  the 
plain,  according  to  the  devious  curves  of  the  stream, 
but  always  fainter  and  farther  away,  till  I  lost  it  at  last 
behind  the  mitre-shaped  hill  of  the  great  pagoda.  And 
then  I  was  left  alone  with  my  ship,  anchored  at  the 
head  of  the  Gulf  of  Siam. 

She  floated  at  the  starting-point  of  a  long  journey, 
very  still  in  an  immense  stillness,  the  shadows  of  her 
spars  flung  far  to  the  eastward  by  the  setting  sun.  At 
that  moment  I  was  alone  on  her  decks.  There  was 
not  a  sound  in  her  —  and  around  us  nothing  moved, 
nothing  lived,  not  a  canoe  on  the  water,  not  a  bird  in 
the  air,  not  a  cloud  in  the  sky.  In  this  breathless 
pause  at  the  threshold  of  a  long  passage  we  seemed 
to  be  measuring  our  fitness  for  a  long  and  arduous  en- 
terprise, the  appointed  task  of  both  our  existences  to 
be  carried  out,  far  from  all  human  eyes,  with  only  sky 
and  sea  for  spectators  and  for  judges. 


THE  SECEET  SHAEER  115 

There  must  have  been  some  glare  in  the  air  to  inter- 
fere with  one's  sight,  because  it  was  only  just  before  the 
sun  left  us  that  my  roaming  eyes  made  out  beyond  the 
highest  ridge  of  the  principal  islet  of  the  group  some- 
thing which  did  away  with  the  solemnity  of  perfect 
solitude.  The  tide  of  darkness  flowed  on  swiftly;  and 
with  tropical  suddenness  a  swarm  of  stars  came  out 
above  the  shadowy  earth,  while  I  lingered  yet,  my  hand 
resting  lightly  on  my  ship's  rail  as  if  on  the  shoulder 
of  a  trusted  friend.  But,  with  all  that  multitude  of 
celestial  bodies  staring  down  at  one,  the  comfort  of 
quiet  communion  with  her  was  gone  for  good.  And 
there  were  also  disturbing  sounds  by  this  time  — 
voices,  footsteps  forward;  the  steward  flitted  along  the 
main-deck,  a  busily  ministering  spirit;  a  hand-bell 
tinkled  urgently  under  the  poop-deck.  .  .  . 

I  found  my  two  officers  waiting  for  me  near  the 
supper  table,  in  the  lighted  cuddy.  We  sat  down  at 
once,  and  as  I  helped  the  chief  mate,  I  said : 

"  Are  you  aware  that  there  is  a  ship  anchored  inside 
the  islands?  I  saw  her  mastheads  above  the  ridge  as 
the  sun  went  down." 

He  raised  sharply  his  simple  face,  overcharged  by  a 
terrible  growth  of  whisker,  and  emitted  his  usual 
ejaculations:  "Bless  my  soul,  sir!  You  don't  say 
so!" 

My  second  mate  was  a  round-cheeked,  silent  young 
man,  grave  beyond  his  years,  I  thought;  iDut  as  our 
eyes  happened  to  meet  I  detected  a  slight  quiver  on 
his  lips.     I  looked  down  at  once.     It  was  not  my  part 


116  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

to  encourage  sneering  on  board  my  ship.  It  must  be 
said,  too,  that  I  knew  very  little  of  my  oflScers.  In 
consequence  of  certain  events  of  no  particular  signifi- 
cance, except  to  myself,  I  had  been  appointed  to  the 
command  only  a  fortnight  before.  Neither  did  I 
know  much  of  the  hands  forw^ard.  All  these  people 
had  been  together  for  eighteen  months  or  so,  and  my 
position  was  that  of  the  only  stranger  on  board.  I 
mention  this  because  it  has  some  bearing  on  what  is  to 
follow.  But  what  I  felt  most  was  my  being  a  stranger 
to  the  ship;  and  if  all  the  truth  must  be  told,  I  was 
somewhat  of  a  stranger  to  myself.  The  youngest  man 
on  board  (barring  the  second  mate),  and  untried  as 
yet  by  a  position  of  the  fullest  responsibility,  I  was 
willing  to  take  the  adequacy  of  the  others  for  granted. 
They  had  simply  to  be  equal  to  their  tasks ;  but  I  won- 
dered how  far  I  should  turn  out  faithful  to  that  ideal 
conception  of  one's  own  personality  every  man  sets  up 
for  himself  secretly. 

Meantime  the  chief  mate,  with  an  almost  visible 
effect  of  collaboration  on  the  part  of  his  round  eyes 
and  frightful  whiskers,  was  trying  to  evolve  a  theory  of 
the  anchored  ship.  His  dominant  trait  was  to  take  all 
things  into  earnest  consideration.  He  was  of  a  pains- 
taking turn  of  mind.  As  he  used  to  say,  he  "  liked  to 
account  to  himself"  for  practically  everything  that 
came  in  his  way,  down  to  a  miserable  scorpion  he  had 
found  in  his  cabin  a  week  before.  The  why  and  the 
wherefore  of  that  scorpion  —  how  it  got  on  board  and 


THE  SECEET  SHAEEK  117 

came  to  select  his  room  rather  than  the  pantry  (which 
was  a  dark  place  and  more  what  a  scorpion  would  be 
partial  to),  and  how  on  earth  it  managed  to  drown 
itself  in  the  inkwell  of  his  writing-desk  —  had  exer- 
cised him  infinitely.  The  ship  within  the  islands  was 
much  more  easily  accounted  for;  and  just  as  we  were 
about  to  rise  from  table  he  made  his  pronouncement. 
She  was,  he  doubted  not,  a  ship  from  home  lately  ar- 
rived. Probably  she  drew  too  much  water  to  cross  the 
bar  except  at  the  top  of  spring  tides.  Therefore  she 
went  into  that  natural  harbour  to  wait  for  a  few  days 
in  preference  to  remaining  in  an  open  roadstead. 

"  That's  so,"  confirmed  the  second  mate,  suddenly, 
in  his  slightly  hoarse  voice.  "  She  draws  over  twenty 
feet.  She's  the  Liverpool  ship  Sephora  with  a  cargo 
of  coal.  Hundred  and  twenty-three  days  from 
Cardiff." 

We  looked  at  him  in  surprise. 

"  The  tugboat  skipper  told  me  when  he  came  on 
board  for  your  letters,  sir,"  explained  the  young  man. 
"  He  expects  to  take  her  up  the  river  the  day  after 
to-morrow." 

After  thus  overwhelming  us  with  the  extent  of  his 
information  he  slipped  out  of  the  cabin.  The  mate 
observed  regretfully  that  he  "  could  not  account  for 
that  young  fellow's  whims."  What  prevented  him  tell- 
ing us  all  about  it  at  once,  he  wanted  fo  know. 

I  detained  him  as  he  was  making  a  move.  For  the 
last  two  days  the  crew  had  had  plenty  of  hard  work, 
and  the  night  before  they  had  very  little  sleep.     I  felt 


118  'TWIXT  LAOT)  AND  SEA 

painfully  that  I  —  a  stranger  —  was  doing  something 
unusual  when  I  directed  him  to  let  all  hands  turn  in 
without  setting  an  anchor-watch.  I  proposed  to  keep 
on  deck  myself  till  one  o'clock  or  thereabouts.  I 
would  get  the  second  mate  to  relieve  me  at  that  hour. 

"  He  will  turn  out  the  cook  and  the  steward  at  four," 
I  concluded,  "  and  then  give  you  a  call.  Of  course  at 
the  slightest  sign  of  any  sort  of  wind  we'll  have  the 
hands  up  and  make  a  start  at  once." 

He  concealed  his  astonishment.  "  Very  well,  sir." 
Outside  the  cuddy  he  put  his  head  in  the  second  mate's 
door  to  inform  him  of  my  unheard-of  caprice  to  take 
a  five  hours'  anchor-watch  on  myself.  I  heard  the 
other  raise  his  voice  incredulously  — "  What  ?  The 
captain  himself  ?  "  Then  a  few  more  murmurs,  a  door 
closed,  then  another.  A  few  moments  later  I  went  on 
deck. 

My  strangeness,  which  had  made  me  sleepless,  had 
prompted  that  unconventional  arrangement,  as  if  I  had 
expected  in  those  solitary  hours  of  the  night  to  get  on 
terms  with  the  ship  of  which  I  knew  nothing,  manned 
by  men  of  whom  I  knew  very  little  more.  Fast  along- 
side a  wharf,  littered  like  any  ship  in  port  with  a 
tangle  of  unrelated  things,  invaded  by  unrelated  shore 
people,  I  had  hardly  seen  her  yet  properly.  Now,  as 
she  lay  cleared  for  sea,  the  stretch  of  her  main-deck 
seemed  to  me  very  fine  under  the  stars.  Very  fine, 
very  roomy  for  her  size,  and  very  inviting.  I  de- 
scended the  poop  and  paced  the  waist,  my  mind  pictur- 
ing to  myself  the  coming  passage  through  the  Malay 


THE  SECRET  SHARER  119 

Archipelago,  down  the  Indian  Ocean,  and  up  the  At- 
lantic. All  its  phases  were  familiar  enough  to  me, 
every  characteristic,  all  the  alternatives  which  were 
likely  to  face  me  on  the  high  seas  —  everything !  .  .  . 
except  the  novel  responsibility  of  command.  But  I 
took  heart  from  the  reasonable  thought  that  the  ship 
was  like  other  ships,  the  men  like  other  men,  and  that 
the  sea  was  not  likely  to  keep  any  special  surprises  ex- 
pressly for  my  discomfiture. 

Arrived  at  that  comforting  conclusion,  I  bethought 
myself  of  a  cigar  and  went  below  to  get  it.  All  was 
still  down  there.  Everybody  at  the  after  end  of  the 
ship  was  sleeping  profoundly.  I  came  out  again  on 
the  quarter-deck,  agreeably  at  ease  in  my  sleeping-suit 
on  that  warm  breathless  night,  barefooted,  a  glowing 
cigar  in  my  teeth,  and,  going  forward,  I  was  met  by 
the  profound  silence  of  the  fore  end  of  the  ship.  Only 
as  I  passed  the  door  of  the  forecastle  I  heard  a  deep, 
quiet,  trustful  sigh  of  some  sleeper  inside.  And 
suddenly  I  rejoiced  in  the  great  security  of  the  sea  as 
compared  with  the  unrest  of  the  land,  in  my  choice  of 
that  untempted  life  presenting  no  disquieting  prob- 
lems, invested  with  an  elementary  moral  beauty  by  the 
absolute  straightforwardness  of  its  appeal  and  by  the 
singleness  of  its  purpose. 

The  riding-light  in  the  fore-rigging  burned  with  a 
clear,  untroubled,  as  if  symbolic,  flame,  confident  and 
bright  in  the  mysterious  shades  of  the  night.  Passing 
on  my  way  aft  along  the  other  side  of  the  ship,  I  ob- 
served that  the  rope  side-ladder,  put  over,  no  doubt, 


120  'TWIXT  LAOT)  AND  SEA 

for  the  master  of  the  tug  when  he  came  to  fetch  away 
our  letters,  had  not  heen  hauled  in  as  it  should  have 
been.  I  became  annoyed  at  this,  for  exactitude  in 
small  matters  is  the  very  soul  of  discipline.  Then  I 
reflected  that  I  had  myself  peremptorily  dismissed  my 
ofiicers  from  duty,  and  by  my  own  act  had  prevented 
the  anchor-watch  being  formally  set  and  things  prop- 
erly attended  to.  I  asked  myself  whether  it  was  wise 
ever  to  interfere  with  the  established  routine  of  duties 
even  from  the  kindest  of  motives.  My  action  might 
have  made  me  appear  eccentric.  Goodness  only  knew 
how  that  absurdly  whiskered  mate  would  "  account " 
for  my  conduct,  and  what  the  whole  ship  thought  of 
that  informality  of  their  new  captain.  I  was  vexed 
with  myself. 

Not  from  compunction  certainly,  but,  as  it  were 
mechanically,  I  proceeded  to  get  the  ladder  in  myself. 
Now  a  side-ladder  of  that  sort  is  a  light  affair  and 
comes  in  easily,  yet  my  vigorous  tug,  which  should  have 
brought  it  flying  on  board,  merely  recoiled  upon  my 
body  in  a  totally  rmexpected  jerk.  What  the  devil! 
...  I  was  so  astounded  by  the  immovableness  of  that 
ladder  that  I  remained  stock-still,  trying  to  account 
for  it  to  myself  like  that  imbecile  mate  of  mine.  In 
the  end,  of  course,  I  put  my  head  over  the  rail. 

The  side  of  the  ship  made  an  opaque  belt  of  shadow 
on  the  darkling  glassy  shimmer  of  the  sea.  But  I 
saw  at  once  something  elongated  and  pale  floating 
very  close  to  the  ladder.  Before  I  could  form  a  guess 
a  faint  flash  of  phosphorescent  light,   which  seemed 


THE  SECRET  SHAEER  121 

to  issue  suddenly  from  the  naked  body  of  a  man, 
flickered  in  the  sleeping  water  with  the  elusive,  silent 
play  of  summer  lightning  in  a  night  sky.  With  a 
gasp  I  saw  revealed  to  my  stare  a  pair  of  feet,  the  long 
legs,  a  broad  livid  back  immersed  right  up  to  the  neck 
in  a  greenish  cadaverous  glow.  One  hand,  awash, 
clutched  the  bottom  rung  of  the  ladder.  He  was  com* 
plete  but  for  the  head.  A  headless  corpse !  The  cigar 
dropped  out  of  my  gaping  mouth  with  a  tiny  plop  and 
a  short  hiss  quite  audible  in  the  absolute  stillness  of  all 
things  under  heaven.  At  that  I  suppose  he  raised  up 
his  face,  a  dimly  pale  oval  in  the  shadow  of  the  ship's 
side.  But  even  then  I  could  only  barely  make  out 
down  there  the  shape  of  his  black-haired  head.  How- 
ever, it  was  enough  for  the  horrid,  frost-bound  sensa- 
tion which  had  gripped  me  about  the  chest  to  pass  off. 
The  moment  of  vain  exclamations  was  past,  too.  I 
only  climbed  on  the  spare  spar  and  leaned  over  the 
rail  as  far  as  I  could,  to  bring:  my  eyes  nearer  to  that 
mystery  floating  alongside. 

As  he  hung  by  the  ladder,  like  a  resting  swimmer, 
the  sea-lightning  played  about  his  limbs  at  every  stir; 
and  he  appeared  in  it  ghastly,  silvery,  fish-like.  He 
remained  as  mute  as  a  fish,  too.  He  made  no  motion 
to  get  out  of  the  water,  either.  It  was  inconceivable 
that  he  should  not  attempt  to  come  on  board,  and 
strangely  troubling  to  suspect  that  perhaps  he  did  not 
want  to.  And  my  first  words  were  prompted  by  just 
that  troubled  incertitude. 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  "  I  asked  in  my  ordinary  tone, 


122  'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

speaking  down  to  the  face  upturned  exactly  under 
mine. 

"  Cramp/^  it  answered,  no  louder.  Then  slightly 
anxious,  "  I  say,  no  need  to  call  any  one." 

"  I  was  not  going  to,"  I  said. 

"  Are  you  alone  on  deck  ? " 

"  Yes." 

I  had  somehow  the  impression  that  he  was  on  the 
point  of  letting  go  the  ladder  to  swim  away  beyond 
my  ken  —  mysterious  as  he  came.  But,  for  the  mo- 
ment, this  being  appearing  as  if  he  had  risen  from  the 
bottom  of  the  sea  (it  was  certainly  the  nearest  land  to 
the  ship)  wanted  only  to  know  the  time.  I  told  him. 
And  he,  down  there,  tentatively: 

"  I  suppose  your  captain's  turned  in  ? " 

"  I  am  sure  he  isn't,"  I  said. 

He  seemed  to  struggle  with  himself,  for  I  heard 
something  like  the  low,  bitter  murmur  of  doubt, 
"  What's  the  good  ?  "  His  next  words  came  out  with 
a  hesitating  effort. 

"  Look  here,  my  man.  Could  you  call  him  out 
quietly  ? " 

1  thought  the  time  had  come  to  declare  myself. 

**  I  am  the  captain." 

I  heard  a  "  By  Jove !  "  whispered  at  the  level  of  the 
water.  The  phosphorescence  flashed  in  the  swirl  of 
the  water  all  about  his  limbs,  his  other  hand  seized  the 
ladder. 

"  My  name's  Leggatt." 

The  voice  was  calm  and  resolute.     A  good  voice. 


THE  SECRET  SHARER  123 

The  self-possession  of  that  man  had  somehow  induced 
a  corresponding  state  in  myself.  It  was  very  quietly 
that  I  remarked: 

"  You  must  be  a  good  swimmer." 

"  Yes.  I've  been  in  the  water  practically  since  nine 
o'clock.  The  question  for  me  now  is  whether  I  am 
to  let  go  this  ladder  and  go  on  swimming  till  I  sink 
from  exhaustion,  or  —  to  come  on  board  here." 

I  felt  this  was  no  mere  formula  of  desperate  speech, 
but  a  real  alternative  in  the  view  of  a  strong  soul.  I 
should  have  gathered  from  this  that  he  was  young; 
indeed,  it  is  only  the  young  who  are  ever  confronted 
by  such  clear  issues.  But  at  the  time  it  was  pure  in- 
tuition on  my  part.  A  mysterious  communication 
was  established  already  between  us  two  —  in  the  face 
of  that  silent,  darkened  tropical  sea.  I  was  young, 
too;  young  enough  to  make  no  comment.  The  man 
in  the  water  began  suddenly  to  climb  up  the  ladder,  and 
I  hastened  away  from  the  rail  to  fetch  some  clothes. 

Before  entering  the  cabin  I  stood  still,  listening  in 
the  lobby  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs.  A  faint  snore  came 
through  the  closed  door  of  the  chief  mate's  room.  The 
second  mate's  door  was  on  the  hook,  but  the  darkness 
in  there  was  absolutely  soundless.  He,  too,  was 
young  and  could  sleep  like  a  stona  Remained  the  stew- 
ard, but  he  was  not  likely  to  wake  up  before  he  was 
called.  I  got  a  sleeping-suit  out  of  my  room  and, 
<joming  back  on  deck,  saw  the  naked  man  from  the 
sea  sitting  on  the  main-hatch,  glimmering  white  in  the 
darkness,  his  elbows  on  his  knees  and  his  head  in  his 


124  'TWIXT  LAND  A^D  SEA 

hands.  In  a  moment  he  had  concealed  his  damp  body 
in  a  sleeping-suit  of  the  same  grey-stripe  pattern  as  the 
one  I  was  wearing  and  followed  me  like  my  double  on 
the  poop.  Together  we  moved  right  aft,  barefooted, 
silent. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  I  asked  in  a  deadened  voice,  taking 
the  lighted  lamp  out  of  the  binnacle,  and  raising  it  to 
his  face. 

"  An  ugly  business." 

He  had  rather  regular  features ;  a  good  mouth ;  light 
eyes  under  somewhat  heavy,  dark  eyebrows;  a  smooth, 
square  forehead;  no  growth  on  his  cheeks;  a  small, 
brown  moustache,  and  a  well-shaped,  round  chin. 
His  expression  was  concentrated,  meditative,  under 
the  inspetcing  light  of  the  lamp  I  held  up  to  his  face ; 
such  as  a  man  thinking  hard  in  solitude  might  wear. 
My  sleeping-suit  was  just  right  for  his  size.  A  well- 
knit  young  fellow  of  twenty-five  at  most.  He  caught 
his  lower  lip  with  the  edge  of  white,  even  teeth. 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  replacing  the  lamp  in  the  binnacle. 
The  warm,  heavy  tropical  night  closed  upon  his  head 
again. 

"  There's  a  ship  over  there,"  he  murmured. 

"  Yes,  I  know.  The  Sephora.  Did  you  know  of 
us?" 

"  Hadn't  the  slightest  idea.     I  am  the  mate  of  her 

"     He     paused     and     corrected     himself.     "  I 

should  say  I  was/' 

"  Aha !     Something  wrong  ?  " 

"  Yes.     Very  wrong  indeed.     I've  killed  a  man." 


THE  SECRET  SHAEER  125 

"What  do  you  mean?     Just  now?" 

"No,  on  the  passage.  Weeks  ago.  Thirty-nine 
south.     When  I  say  a  man " 

"  Fit  of  temper/'  I  suggested,  confidently. 

The  shadowy,  dark  head,  like  mine,  seemed  to  nod 
imperceptibly  above  the  ghostly  grey  of  my  sleeping- 
suit.  It  was,  in  the  night,  as  though  I  had  been  faced 
by  my  own  reflection  in  the  depths  of  a  sombre  and 
immense  mirror. 

"  A  pretty  thing  to  have  to  own  up  to  for  a  Con- 
way boy,"  murmured  my  double,  distinctly. 

"  You're  a  Conway  boy  ?  " 

*^  I  am,"  he  said,  as  if  startled.  Then,  slowly  .  .  . 
"  Perhaps  you  too ^" 

It  was  so;  but  being  a  couple  of  years  older  I  had 
left  before  he  joined.  After  a  quick  interchange  of 
dates  a  silence  fell;  and  I  thought  suddenly  of  my 
absurd  mate  with  his  terrific  whiskers  and  the  "  Bless 
my  soul  —  you  don't  say  so  "  type  of  intellect.  My 
double  gave  me  an  inkling  of  his  thoughts  by  saying: 

"  My  father's  a  parson  in  E'orfolk.  Do  you  see  me 
before  a  judge  and  jury  on  that  charge?  For  myself 
I  can't  see  the  necessity.     There  are  fellows  that  an 

angel  from  heaven And  I  am  not  that.     He  was 

one  of  those  creatures  that  are  just  simmering  all  the 
time  with  a  silly  sort  of  wickedness.  Miserable  devils 
that  have  no  business  to  live  at  all.  He  wouldn't  do 
his  duty  and  wouldn't  let  anybody  else  do  theirs.  But 
what's  the  good  of  talking!  You  know  well  enough 
the  sort  of  ill-conditioned  snarling  cur " 


126  'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

He  appealed  to  me  as  if  our  experiences  had  been  as 
identical  as  our  clothes.  And  I  knew  well  enough  the 
pestiferous  danger  of  such  a  character  where  there  are 
no  means  of  legal  repression.  And  I  knew  well 
enough  also  that  my  double  there  was  no  homicidal 
ruffian.  I  did  not  think  of  asking  him  for  details, 
and  he  told  me  the  story  roughly  in  brusque,  discon- 
nected sentences.  I  needed  no  more.  I  saw  it  all  go- 
ing on  as  though  I  were  myself  inside  that  other  sleep- 
ing-suit. 

"  It  happened  while  we  were  setting  a  reefed  fore- 
sail, at  dusk.  Reefed  foresail!  You  understand  the 
sort  of  weather.  The  only  sail  we  had  left  to  keep  the 
ship  running;  so  you  may  guess  what  it  had  been  like 
for  days.  Anxious  sort  of  job,  that.  He  gave  me 
some  of  his  cursed  insolence  at  the  sheet.  I  tell  you 
I  was  overdone  with  this  terrific  weather  that  seemed 
to  have  no  end  to  it.  Terrific,  I  tell  you  —  and  a  deep 
ship.  I  believe  the  fellow  himself  was  half  crazed 
with  funk.  It  was  no  time  for  gentlemanly  reproof, 
so  I  turned  round  and  felled  him  like  an  ox.  He  up 
and  at  me.  We  closed  just  as  an  awful  sea  made  for 
the  ship.  All  hands  saw  it  coming  and  took  to  the 
rigging,  but  I  had  him  by  the  throat,  and  went  on 
shaking  him  like  a  rat,  the  men  above  us  yelling, 
*  Look  out !  look  out ! '  Then  a  crash  as  if  the  sky 
had  fallen  on  my  head.  They  say  that  for  over  ten 
minutes  hardly  anything  was  to  be  seen  of  the  ship  — 
just  the  three  masts  and  a  bit  of  the  forecastle  head 
and  of  the  poop  all  awash  driving  along  in  a  smother 


THE  SECKET  SHAEER  127 

of  foam.  It  was  a  miracle  that  they  found  us, 
jammed  together  behind  the  forebits.  It's  clear  that 
I  meant  business,  because  I  was  holding  him  by  the 
throat  still  when  they  picked  us  up.  He  was  black  in 
the  face.  It  was  too  much  for  them.  It  seems  they 
rushed  us  aft  together,  gripped  as  we  were,  screaming 
^  Murder ! '  like  a  lot  of  lunatics,  and  broke  into  the 
cuddy.  And  the  ship  running  for  her  life,  touch  and 
go  all  the  time,  any  minute  her  last  in  a  sea  fit  to  turn 
your  hair  grey  only  a-looking  at  it.  I  understand  that 
the  skipper,  too,  started  raving  like  the  rest  of  them. 
The  man  had  been  deprived  of  sleep  for  more  than  a 
week,  and  to  have  this  sprung  on  him  at  the  height  of 
a  furious  gale  nearly  drove  him  out  of  his  mind.  I 
wonder  they  didn't  fling  me  overboard  after  getting 
the  carcass  of  their  precious  ship-mate  out  of  my  fingers. 
They  had  rather  a  job  to  separate  us,  IVe  been  told. 
A  sufficiently  fierce  story  to  make  an  old  judge  and  a 
respectable  jury  sit  up  a  bit.  The  first  thing  I  heard 
when  I  came  to  myself  was  the  maddening  howling  of 
that  endless  gale,  and  on  that  the  voice  of  the  old  man. 
He  was  hanging  on  to  my  bunk,  staring  into  my  face 
out  of  his  sou'wester. 

"  '  Mr.  Leggatt,  you  have  killed  a  man.  You  can 
act  no  longer  as  chief  mate  of  this  ship.'  " 

His  care  to  subdue  his  voice  made  it  sound  monot- 
onous. He  rested  a  hand  on  the  end  of  the  skylight 
to  steady  himself  with,  and  all  that  time  did  not  stir 
a  limb,  so  far  as  I  could  see.  "  Nice  little  tale  for  a 
quiet  tea-party,"  he  concluded  in  the  same  tone. 


128  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

One  of  my  hands,  too,  rested  on  the  end  of  the 
skylight;  neither  did  I  stir  a  limb,  so  far  as  I  knew. 
We  stood  less  than  a  foot  from  each  other.  It  oc- 
curred to  me  that  if  old  "  Bless  my  soul  —  you  don't 
say  so  "  were  to  put  his  head  up  the  companion  and 
catch  sight  of  us,  he  would  think  he  was  seeing  double, 
or  imagine  himself  come  upon  a  scene  of  weird  witch- 
craft; the  strange  captain  having  a  quiet  confabulation 
by  the  wheel  with  his  own  grey  ghost.  I  became  very 
much  concerned  to  prevent  anything  of  the  sort.  I 
heard  the  other's  soothing  undertone. 

"  My  father's  a  parson  in  Norfolk,"  it  said.  Evi- 
dently he  had  forgotten  he  had  told  me  this  important 
fact  before.     Truly  a  nice  little  tale. 

"  You  had  better  slip  down  into  my  stateroom  now," 
I  said,  moving  off  stealthily.  My  double  followed  my 
movements ;  our  bare  feet  made  no  sound ;  I  let  him  in, 
closed  the  door  with  care,  and,  after  giving  a  call  to 
the  second  mate,  returned  on  deck  for  my  relief. 

"  Not  much  sign  of  any  wind  yet,"  I  remarked  when 
he  approached. 

"  No,  sir.  Not  much,"  he  assented,  sleepily,  in  his 
hoarse  voice,  with  just  enough  deference,  no  more, 
and  barely  suppressing  a  yawn. 

"Well,  that's  all  you  have  to  look  out  for.  You 
have  got  your  orders." 

"  Yes,  sir." 

I  paced  a  turn  or  two  on  the  poop  and  saw  him  take 
up  his  position  face  forward  with  his  elbow  in  the  rat- 
lines of  the  mizzen-rigging  before  I  went  below.     The 


THE  SECEET  SHAEEE  129 

mate's  faint  snoring  was  still  going  on  peacefully. 
The  cuddy  lamp  was  burning  over  the  table  on  which 
stood  a  vase  with  flowers,  a  polite  attention  from  the 
ships'  provision  merchant  —  the  last  flowers  we  should 
see  for  the  next  three  months  at  the  very  least.  Two 
bunches  of  bananas  hung  from  the  beam  symmetric- 
ally, one  on  each  side  of  the  rudder-casing.  Every- 
thing was  as  before  in  the  ship  —  except  that  two  of 
her  captain's  sleeping-suits  were  simultaneously  in  use, 
one  motionless  in  the  cuddy,  the  other  keeping  very 
still  in  the  captain's  stateroom. 

It  must  be  explained  here  that  my  cabin  had  the 
form  of  the  capital  letter  L  the  door  being  within  the 
angle  and  opening  into  the  short  part  of  the  letter.  A 
couch  was  to  the  left,  the  bed-place  to  the  right;  my 
writing-desk  and  the  chronometers'  table  faced  the  door. 
But  any  one  opening  it,  unless  he  stepped  right  inside, 
had  no  view  of  what  I  call  the  long  (or  vertical)  part 
of  the  letter.  It  contained  some  lockers  surmounted 
by  a  bookcase;  and  a  few  clothes,  a  thick  jacket  or  two, 
caps,  oilskin  coat,  and  such  like,  hung  on  hooks.  There 
was  at  the  bottom  of  that  part  a  door  opening  into  my 
bath-room,  whicli  could  be  entered  also  directly  from 
the  saloon.     But  that  way  was  never  used. 

The  mysterious  arrival  had  discovered  the  advan- 
tage of  this  particular  shape.  Entering  my  room, 
lighted  strongly  by  a  big  bulkhead  lamp  swung  on 
gimbals  above  my  writing-desk,  I  did  not  see  him  any- 
where till  he  stepped  out  quietly  from  behind  the  coats 
hung  in  the  recessed  part. 


130  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

"  I  heard  somebody  moving  about,  and  went  in  there 
at  once,"  he  whispered. 

I,  too,  spoke  under  my  breath. 

"  Nobody  is  likely  to  come  in  here  without  knock- 
ing and  getting  permission." 

He  nodded.  His  face  was  thin  and  the  sunburn 
faded,  as  though  he  had  been  ill.  And  no  wonder. 
He  had  been,  I  heard  presently,  kept  under  arrest  in 
his  cabin  for  nearly  seven  weeks.  But  there  was 
nothing  sickly  in  his  eyes  or  in  his  expression.  He 
was  not  a  bit  like  me,  really;  yet,  as  we  stood  leaning 
over  my  bed-place,  whispering  side  by  side,  with  our 
dark  heads  together  and  our  backs  to  the  door,  any- 
body bold  enough  to  open  it  stealthily  would  have 
been  treated  to  the  uncanny  sight  of  a  double  captain 
busy  talking  in  whispers  with  his  other  self. 

"  But  all  this  doesn't  tell  me  how  you  came  to  hang 
on  to  our  side-ladder,"  I  inquired,  in  the  hardly  audi- 
ble murmurs  we  used,  after  he  had  told  me  something 
more  of  the  proceedings  on  board  the  Sephora  once  the 
bad  weather  was  over. 

"  When  we  sighted  Java  Head  I  had  had  time  to 
think  all  those  matters  out  several  times  over.  I  had 
six  weeks  of  doing  nothing  else,  and  with  only  an  hour 
or  so  every  evening  for  a  tramp  on  the  quarter-deck." 

He  whispered,  his  arms  folded  on  the  side  of  my 
bed-place,  staring  through  the  open  port.  And  I  could 
imagine  perfectly  the  manner  of  this  thinking  out  — 
a  stubborn  if  not  a  steadfast  operation;  something  of 
which  I  should  have  been  perfectly  incapable. 


THE  SECRET  SHAEER  131 

"  I  reckoned  it  would  be  dark  before  we  closed  with 
the  land,"  he  continued,  so  low  that  I  had  to  strain 
my  hearing,  near  as  we  were  to  each  other,  shoulder 
touching  shoulder  almost.  "  So  I  asked  to  speak  to 
the  old  man.  He  always  seemed  very  sick  when  he 
came  to  see  me  —  as  if  he  could  not  look  me  in  the  face. 
You  know,  that  foresail  saved  the  ship.  She  was  too 
deep  to  have  run  long  under  bare  poles.  And  it  was 
I  that  managed  to  set  it  for  him.  Anyway,  he  came. 
When  I  had  him  in  my  cabin  —  he  stood  by  the  door 
looking  at  me  as  if  I  had  the  halter  around  my  neck 
already  —  I  asked  him  right  away  to  leave  my  cabin 
door  unlocked  at  night  while  the  ship  was  going 
through  Sunda  Straits.  There  would  be  the  Java 
coast  within  two  or  three  miles,  off  Angier  Point.  I 
wanted  nothing  more.  I've  had  a  prize  for  swimming 
my  second  year  in  the  Conway." 

"I  can  believe  it,"  I  breathed  out. 

"  God  only  knows  why  they  locked  me  in  every 
night.  To  see  some  of  their  faces  you'd  have  thought 
they  were  afraid  I'd  go  about  at  night  strangling  peo- 
ple. Am  I  a  murdering  brute  ?  Do  I  look  it  ?  By 
Jove!  if  I  had  been  he  wouldn't  have  trusted  himself 
like  that  into  my  room.  You'll  say  I  might  have 
chucked  him  aside  and  bolted  out,  there  and  then  —  it 
was  dark  already.  Well,  no.  And  for  the  same  reason 
I  wouldn't  think  of  trying  to  smash  the  door.  There 
would  have  been  a  rush  to  stop  me  at  the  noise,  and 
I  did  not  mean  to  get  into  a  confounded  scrimmage. 
Somebody  else  might  have  got  killed  —  for  I  would 


132  'TWIXT  LAKD  AISTD  SEA 

not  have  broken  out  only  to  get  chucked  back,  and  I  did 
not  want  any  more  of  that  work.  He  refused,  looking 
more  sick  than  ever.  He  was  afraid  of  the  men,  and 
also  of  that  old  second  mate  of  his  who  had  been  sail- 
ing with  him  for  years  —  a  grey-headed  old  humbug; 
and  his  steward,  too,  had  been  with  him  devil  knows 
how  long  —  seventeen  years  or  more  —  a  dogmatic 
sort  of  loafer  who  hated  me  like  poison,  just  because 
I  was  the  chief  mate.  No  chief  mate  ever  made  more 
than  one  voyage  in  the  Sephora,  you  know.  Those  two 
old  chaps  ran  the  ship.  Devil  only  knows  what  the 
skipper  wasn't  afraid  of  (all  his  nerve  went  to  pieces 
altogether  in  that  hellish  spell  of  bad  weather  we  had) 
—  of  what  the  law  would  do  to  him  —  of  his  wife,  per- 
haps. Oh,  yes !  she's  on  board.  Though  I  don't  think 
she  would  have  meddled.  She  would  have  been  only 
too  glad  to  have  me  out  of  the  ship  in  any  way.  The 
'  brand  of  Cain '  business,  don't  you  see.  That's  all 
right.  I  was  ready  enough  to  go  off  wandering  on 
the  face  of  the  earth  —  and  that  was  price  enough  to 
pay  for  an  Abel  of  that  sort.  Anyhow,  he  wouldn't 
listen  to  me.  ^  This  thing  must  take  its  course.  I 
represent  the  law  here.'  He  was  shaking  like  a  leaf. 
'  So  you  won't  ? '  '  No ! '  *  Then  I  hope  you  will  be 
able  to  sleep  on  that,'  I  said,  and  turned  my  back  on 
him.  *  I  wonder  that  you  can,'  cries  he,  and  locks  the 
door. 

"  Well,  after  that,  I  couldn't.  Not  very  well.  That 
was  three  weeks  ago.  We  have  had  a  slow  passage 
through  the  Java  Sea;  drifted  about  Carimata  for  ten 


THE  SECKET  SHAKER  133 

days.  When  we  anchored  here  they  thought,  I  sup- 
pose, it  was  all  right.  The  nearest  land  (and  that's 
^ve  miles)  is  the  ship's  destination;  the  consul  would 
soon  set  about  catching  me ;  and  there  would  have  been 
no  object  in  bolting  to  these  islets  there.  I  don't  sup- 
pose there's  a  drop  of  water  on  them.  I  don't  know 
how  it  was,  but  to-night  that  steward,  after  bringing 
me  my  supper,  went  out  to  let  me  eat  it,  and  left  the 
door  unlocked.  And  I  ate  it  —  all  there  was,  too. 
After  I  had  finished  I  strolled  out  on  the  quarter-deck. 
I  don't  know  that  I  meant  to  do  anything.  A  breath 
of  fresh  air  was  all  I  wanted,  I  believe.  Then  a  sud- 
den temptation  came  over  me.  I  kicked  off  my  slip- 
pers and  was  in  the  water  before  I  had  made  up  my 
mind  fairly.  Somebody  heard  the  splash  and  they 
raised  an  awful  hullabaloo.  '  He's  gone !  Lower  the 
boats!  He's  committed  suicide!  'No,  he's  swim- 
ming.' Certainly  I  was  swimming.  It's  not  so  easy 
for  a  swimmer  like  me  to  commit  suicide  by  drowning. 
I  landed  on  the  nearest  islet  before  the  boat  left  the 
ship's  side.  I  heard  them  pulling  about  in  the  dark, 
hailing,  and  so  on,  but  after  a  bit  they  gave  up. 
Everything  quieted  down  and  the  anchorage  became 
as  still  as  death.  I  sat  down  on  a  stone  and  began  to 
think.  I  felt  certain  they  would  start  searching  for 
me  at  daylight.  There  was  no  place  to  hide  on  those 
stony  things  —  and  if  there  had  been,  what  would  have 
been  the  good  ?  But  now  I  was  clear  of  that  ship,  I 
was  not  going  back.  So  after  a  while  I  took  off  all 
my  clothes,  tied  them  up  in  a  bundle  with  a  stone 


134  'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

inside,  and  dropped  them  in  the  deep  water  on  the 
outer  side  of  that  islet.  That  was  suicide  enough  for 
me.  Let  them  think  what  they  liked,  but  I  didn't 
mean  to  drown  myself.  I  meant  to  swim  till  I  sank  — 
but  that's  not  the  same  thing.  I  struck  out  for  another 
of  these  little  islands,  and  it  was  from  that  one  that  I 
first  saw  your  riding-light.  Something  to  swim  for. 
I  went  on  easily,  and  on  the  way  I  came  upon  a  flat 
rock  a  foot  or  two  above  water.  In  the  daytime,  I 
dare  say,  you  might  make  it  out  with  a  glass  from  your 
poop.  I  scrambled  up  on  it  and  rested  myself  for  a 
bit.  Then  I  made  another  start.  That  last  spell  must 
have  been  over  a  mile." 

His  whisper  was  getting  fainter  and  fainter,  and  all 
the  time  he  stared  straight  out  through  the  port-hole, 
in  which  there  was  not  even  a  star  to  be  seen.  I  had 
not  interrupted  him.  There  was  something  that  made 
comment  impossible  in  his  narrative,  or  perhaps  in 
himself ;  a  sort  of  feeling,  a  quality,  which  I  can't  find 
a  name  for.  And  when  he  ceased,  all  I  found  was  a 
futile  whisper :    "  So  you  swam  for  our  light  ?  " 

"  Yes  —  straight  for  it.  It  was  something  to  swim 
for.  I  couldn't  see  any  stars  low  down  because  the 
coast  was  in  the  way,  and  I  couldn't  see  the  land,  either. 
The  water  was  like  glass.  One  might  have  been  swim- 
ming in  a  confounded  thousand-feet  deep  cistern  with 
no  place  for  scrambling  out  anywhere;  but  what  I 
didn't  like  was  the  notion  of  swimming  round  and 
round  like  a  crazed  bullock  before  I  gave  out;  and  as 
I  didn't  mean  to  go  back  ...  No.     Do  you  see  me 


THE  SECEET  SHAEER  135 

being  hauled  back,  stark  naked,  off  one  of  these  little 
islands  by  the  scruff  of  the  neck  and  fighting  like  a 
wild  beast?  Somebody  would  have  got  killed  for  cer- 
tain, and  I  did  not  want  any  of  that.  So  I  went  on. 
Then  your  ladder " 

"  Why  didn't  you  hail  the  ship  ?  "  I  asked,  a  little 
louder. 

He  touched  my  shoulder  lightly.  Lazy  footsteps 
came  right  over  our  heads  and  stopped.  The  second 
mate  had  crossed  from  the  other  side  of  the  poop  and 
might  have  been  hanging  over  the  rail,  for  all  we 
knew. 

"  He  couldn't  hear  us  talking  —  could  he  ?  "  My 
double  breathed  into  my  very  ear,  anxiously. 

His  anxiety  was  an  answer,  a  sufficient  answer,  to 
the  question  I  had  put  to  him.  An  answer  containing 
all  the  difficulty  of  that  situation.  I  closed  the  port- 
hole quietly,  to  make  sure.  A  louder  word  might  have 
been  overheard. 

"  Who's  that  ?  "  he  whispered  then. 

^'  My  second  mate.  But  I  don't  know  much  more  of 
the  fellow  than  you  do." 

And  I  told  him  a  little  about  myself.  I  had  been 
appointed  to  take  charge  while  I  least  expected  any- 
thing of  the  sort,  not  quite  a  fortnight  ago.  I  didn't 
know  either  the  ship  or  the  people.  Hadn't  had  the 
time  in  port  to  look  about  me  or  size  anybody  up.  And 
as  to  the  crew,  all  they  knew  was  that  I  was  appointed 
to  take  the  ship  home.  Eor  the  rest,  I  was  almost  as 
much  of  a  stranger  on  board  as  himself,  I  said.     And 


136  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

at  the  moment  I  felt  it  most  acutely.  I  felt  that  it 
would  take  very  little  to  make  me  a  suspect  person  in 
the  eyes  of  the  ship's  company. 

He  had  turned  about  meantime;  and  we,  the  two 
strangers  in  the  ship,  faced  each  other  in  identical  at- 
titudes. 

"  Your  ladder "  he  murmured,  after  a  silence. 

"  Who'd  have  thought  of  finding  a  ladder  hanging  over 
at  night  in  a  ship  anchored  out  here !  I  felt  just  then 
a  very  unpleasant  faintness.  After  the  life  I've  been 
leading  for  nine  weeks,  anybody  would  have  got  out 
of  condition.  I  wasn't  capable  of  swimming  round  as 
far  as  your  rudder-chains.  And,  lo  and  behold !  there 
was  a  ladder  to  get  hold  of.  After  I  gripped  it  I  said 
to  myself,  '  What's  the  good  ? '  When  I  saw  a  man's 
head  looking  over  I  thought  I  would  swim  away  pres- 
ently and  leave  him  shouting  —  in  whatever  language 
it  was.  I  didn't  mind  being  looked  at.  I  —  I  liked 
it.  And  then  you  speaking  to  me  so  quietly  —  as  if 
you  had  expected  me  —  made  me  hold  on  a  little  longer. 
It  had  been  a  confounded  lonely  time  —  I  don't  mean 
while  swimming.  I  was  glad  to  talk  a  little  to  some- 
body that  didn't  belong  to  the  Sephora,  As  to  asking 
for  the  captain,  that  was  a  mere  impulse.  It  could 
have  been  no  use,  with  all  the  ship  knowing  about  me 
and  the  other  people  pretty  certain  to  be  round  here  in 
the  morning.  I  don't  know  —  I  wanted  to  be  seen,  to 
talk  with  somebody,  before  I  went  on.  I  don't  know 
what  I  would  have  said.  ...  *  Fine  night,  isn't  it  ? ' 
or  something  of  the  sort" 


THE  SECEET  SHAKEK  13Y 

"  Do  you  think  they  will  be  round  here  presently  ?  " 
I  asked  with  some  incredulity. 

"  Quite  likely,"  he  said,  faintly. 

He  looked  extremely  haggard  all  of  a  sudden.  His 
head  rolled  on  his  shoulders. 

"  H'm.  We  shall  see  then.  Meantime  get  into  that 
bed,"  I  whispered.     "Want  help?     There." 

It  was  a  rather  high  bed-place  with  a  set  of  drawers 
underneath.  This  amazing  swimmer  really  needed  the 
lift  I  gave  him  by  seizing  his  leg.  He  tumbled  in, 
rolled  over  on  his  back,  and  flung  one  arm  across  his 
eyes.  And  then,  with  his  face  nearly  hidden,  he  must 
have  looked  exactly  as  I  used  to  look  in  that  bed.  I 
gazed  upon  my  other  self  for  a  while  before  drawing 
across  carefully  the  two  green  serge  curtains  which  ran 
on  a  brass  rod.  I  thought  for  a  moment  of  pinning 
them  together  for  greater  safety,  but  I  sat  down  on 
the  couch,  and  once  there  I  felt  unwilling  to  rise  and 
hunt  for  a  pin.  I  would  do  it  in  a  moment.  I  was 
extremely  tired,  in  a  peculiarly  intimate  way,  by  the 
strain  of  stealthiness,  by  the  effort  of  whispering  and 
the  general  secrecy  of  this  excitement.  It  was  three 
o'clock  by  now  and  I  had  been  on  my  feet  since  nine, 
but  I  was  not  sleepy;  I  could  not  have  gone  to  sleep. 
I  sat  there,  fagged  out,  looking  at  the  curtains,  trying 
to  clear  my  mind  of  the  confused  sensation  of  being 
in  two  places  at  once,  and  greatly  bothered  by  an 
exasperating  knocking  in  my  head.  It  was  a  relief 
to  discover  suddenly  that  it  was  not  in  my  head  at  all, 
but  on  the  outside  of  the  door.     Before  I  could  collect 


138  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

myself  the  words  "  Come  in  "  were  out  of  my  mouth, 
and  the  steward  entered  with  a  tray,  bringing  in  my 
morning  coffee.  I  had  slept,  after  all,  and  I  was  so 
frightened  that  I  shouted,  "  This  way !  I  am  here, 
steward,"  as  though  he  had  been  miles  away.  He  put 
down  the  tray  on  the  table  next  the  couch  and  only 
then  said,  very  quietly,  "  I  can  see  you  are  here,  sir." 
I  felt  him  give  me  a  keen  look,  but  I  dared  not  meet 
his  eyes  just  then.  He  must  have  wondered  why  I 
had  drawn  the  curtains  of  my  bed  before  going  to  sleep 
on  the  couch.  He  went  out,  hooking  the  door  open  as 
usual. 

I  heard  the  crew  washing  decks  above  me.  I  knew 
I  would  have  been  told  at  once  if  there  had  been  any 
wind.  Calm,  I  thought,  and  I  was  doubly  vexed. 
Indeed,  I  felt  dual  more  than  ever.  The  steward  re- 
appeared suddenly  in  the  doorway.  I  jumped  up 
from  the  couch  so  quickly  that  he  gave  a  start. 

"  What  do  you  want  here  ?  " 

"  Close  your  port,  sir  —  they  are  washing  decks." 

"  It  is  closed,"  I  said,  reddening. 

"  Very  well,  sir."  But  he  did  not  move  from  the 
doorway  and  returned  my  stare  in  an  extraordinary, 
equivocal  manner  for  a  time.  Then  his  eyes  wavered, 
all  his  expression  changed,  and  in  a  voice  unusually 
gentle,  almost  coaxingly: 

"  May  I  come  in  to  take  the  empty  cup  away,  sir  ? " 

"  Of  course  I  "  I  turned  my  back  on  him  while  he 
popped  in  and  out.  Then  I  unhooked  and  closed  the 
door  and  even  pushed  the  bolt.     This  sort  of  thing 


THE  SECKET  SHAEER  139 

could  not  go  on  very  long.  The  cabin  was  as  hot  as  an 
oven,  too.  I  took  a  peep  at  my  double,  and  discovered 
that  he  had  not  moved,  his  arm  was  still  over  his  eyes ; 
but  his  chest  heaved;  his  hair  was  wet;  his  chin 
glistened  with  perspiration.  I  reached  over  him  and 
opened  the  port. 

"  I  must  show  myself  on  deck,"  I  reflected. 

Of  course,  theoretically,  I  could  do  what  I  liked, 
with  no  one  to  say  nay  to  me  within  the  whole  circle 
of  the  horizon;  but  to  lock  my  cabin  door  and  take 
the  key  away  I  did  not  dare.  Directly  I  put  my  head 
out  of  the  companion  I  saw  the  group  of  my  two 
ojBBcers,  the  second  mate  barefooted,  the  chief  mate  in 
long  india-rubber  boots,  near  the  break  of  the  poop, 
and  the  steward  half-way  down  the  poop-ladder  talk- 
ing to  them  eagerly.  He  happened  to  catch  sight  of 
me  and  dived,  the  second  ran  down  on  the  main-deck 
shouting  some  order  or  other,  and  the  chief  mate  came 
to  meet  me,  touching  his  cap. 

There  was  a  sort  of  curiosity  in  his  eye  that  I  did 
not  like.  I  don't  know  whether  the  steward  had  told 
them  that  I  was  "  queer "  only,  or  downright  drunk, 
but  I  know  the  man  meant  to  have  a  good  look  at  me. 
I  watched  him  coming  with  a  smile  which,  as  he  got 
into  point-blank  range,  took  effect  and  froze  his  very 
whiskers.     I  did  not  give  him  time  to  open  his  lips. 

"  Square  the  yards  by  lifts  and  braces  before  the 
hands  go  to  breakfast." 

It  was  the  first  particular  order  I  had  given  on  board 
that  ship;   and  I  stayed  on  deck  to  see  it  executed, 


140  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

too.  I  had  felt  the  need  of  asserting  myself  without 
loss  of  time.  That  sneering  young  cub  got  taken 
down  a  peg  or  two  on  that  occasion,  and  I  also  seized 
the  opportunity  of  having  a  good  look  at  the  face  of 
every  foremast  man  as  they  filed  past  me  to  go  to  the 
aft^r  braces.  At  breakfast  time,  eating  nothing  myself, 
I  presided  with  such  frigid  dignity  that  the  two  mates 
were  only  too  glad  to  escape  from  the  cabin  as  soon  as 
decency  permitted;  and  all  the  time  the  dual  working 
of  my  mind  distracted  me  almost  to  the  point  of 
insanity.  I  was  constantly  watching  myself,  my  secret 
self,  as  dependent  on  my  actions  as  my  own  per- 
sonality, sleeping  in  that  bed,  behind  that  door  which 
faced  me  as  I  sat  at  the  head  of  the  table.  It  was 
very  much  like  being  mad,  only  it  was  worse  because 
one  was  aware  of  it. 

I  had  to  shake  him  for  a  solid  minute,  but  when  at 
last  he  opened  his  eyes  it  was  in  the  full  possession  of 
his  senses,  with  an  inquiring  look. 

"  Alps  well  so  far,"  I  whispered.  "  Now  you  must 
vanish  into  the  bath-room." 

He  did  so,  as  noiseless  as  a  ghost,  and  I  then  rang 
for  the  steward,  and  facing  him  boldly,  directed  him 
to  tidy  up  my  stateroom  while  I  was  having  my  bath 
— "  and  be  quick  about  it."  As  my  tone  admitted  of 
no  excuses,  he  said,  "  Yes,  sir,"  and  ran  off  to  fetch 
his  dust-pan  and  brushes.  I  took  a  bath  and  did  most 
of  my  dressing,  splashing,  and  whistling  softly  for  the 
steward's  edification,  while  the  secret  sharer  of  my  life 
stood  drawn  up  bolt  upright  in  that  little  space,  his 


THE  SECRET  SHARER  141 

face  looking  very  sunken  in  daylight,  his  eyelids 
lowered  under  the  stern,  dark  line  of  his  eyebrows 
drawn  together  by  a  slight  frown. 

When  I  left  him  there  to  go  back  to  my  room  the 
steward  was  finishing  dusting.  I  sent  for  the  mate 
and  engaged  him  in  some  insignificant  conversation. 
It  was,  as  it  were,  trifling  with  the  terrific  character 
of  his  whiskers;  but  my  object  was  to  give  him  an 
opportunity  for  a  good  look  at  my  cabin.  And  then 
I  could  at  last  shut,  with  a  clear  conscience,  the  door 
of  my  stateroom  and  get  my  double  back  into  the 
recessed  part.  There  was  nothing  else  for  it.  He  had 
to  sit  still  on  a  small  folding  stool,  half  smothered  by 
the  heavy  coats  hanging  there.  We  listened  to  the 
steward  going  into  the  bath-room  out  of  the  saloon, 
filling  the  water-bottles  there,  scrubbing  the  bath, 
setting  things  to  rights,  whisk,  bang,  clatter  —  out 
again  into  the  saloon  —  turn  the  key  —  click.  Such 
was  my  scheme  for  keeping  my  second  self  invisible. 
]N"othing  better  could  be  contrived  under  the  circum- 
stances. And  there  we  sat;  I  at  my  writing-desk 
ready  to  appear  busy  with  some  papers,  he  behind  me, 
out  of  sight  of  the  door.  It  would  not  have  been 
prudent  to  talk  in  daytime ;  and  I  could  not  have  stood 
the  excitement  of  that  queer  sense  of  whispering  to 
myself.  Now  and  then,  glancing  over  my  shoulder,  I 
saw  him  far  back  there,  sitting  rigidly  on  the  low 
stool,  his  bare  feet  close  together,  his  arms  folded,  his 
head  hanging  on  his  breast  —  and  perfectly  still. 
Anybody  would  have  taken  him  for  me. 


142  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

I  was  fascinated  by  it  myself.  Every  moment  I  had 
to  glance  over  my  shoulder.  I  was  looking  at  him 
when  a  voice  outside  the  door  said: 

"  Beg  pardon,  sir." 

"  Well !  "...  I  kept  my  eyes  on  him,  and  so,  when 
the  voice  outside  the  door  announced,  "  There's  a 
ship's  boat  coming  our  way,  sir,"  I  saw  him  give  a 
start  —  the  first  movement  he  had  made  for  hours. 
But  he  did  not  raise  his  bowed  head. 

"  All  right.     Get  the  ladder  over." 

I  hesitated.  Should  I  whisper  something  to  him? 
But  what?  His  immobility  seemed  to  have  been 
never  disturbed.  What  could  I  tell  him  he  did  not 
know  already?  .  .  .  Finally  I  went  on  decL 


II 

The  skipper  of  the  Sephora  had  a  thin  red  whisker  all 
round  his  face,  and  the  sort  of  complexion  that  goes 
with  hair  of  that  colour;  also  the  particular,  rather 
smeary  shade  of  blue  in  the  eyes.  He  was  not  exactly 
a  showy  figure;  his  shoulders  were  high,  his  stature 
but  middling  —  one  leg  slightly  more  bandy  than  the 
other.  He  shook  hands,  looking  vaguely  around.  A 
spiritless  tenacity  was  his  main  characteristic,  I  judged. 
I  behaved  with  a  politeness  which  seemed  to  disconcert 
him.  Perhaps  he  was  shy.  He  mumbled  to  me  as  if 
he  were  ashamed  of  what  he  was  saying ;  gave  his  name 
(it  was  something  like  Archbold  —  but  at  this  distance 
of  years  I  hardly  am  sure),  his  ship's  name,  and  a  few 


THE  SECKET  SHAEEK  143 

other  particulars  of  that  sort,  in  the  manner  of  a 
criminal  making  a  reluctant  and  doleful  confession. 
He  had  had  terrible  weather  on  the  passage  out  — 
terrible  —  terrible  —  wife  aboard,  too. 

By  this  time  we  were  seated  in  the  cabin  and  the 
steward  brought  in  a  tray  with  a  bottle  and  glasses. 
"  Thanks !  No."  Never  took  liquor.  Would  have 
some  water,  though.  He  drank  two  tumblerfuls. 
Terrible  thirsty  work.  Ever  since  daylight  had  been 
exploring  the  islands  round  his  ship. 

"  What  was  that  for  —  fun  ?  "  I  asked,  with  an  ap- 
pearance of  polite  interest. 

"  No !  "     He  sighed.     "  Painful  duty." 

As  he  persisted  in  his  mumbling  and  I  wanted  my 
double  to  hear  every  word,  I  hit  upon  the  notion  of 
informing  him  that  I  regretted  to  say  I  was  hard  of 
hearing. 

"  Such  a  young  man,  too !  "  he  nodded,  keeping  his 
smeary  blue,  unintelligent  eyes  fastened  upon  me. 
What  was  the  cause  of  it  —  some  disease  ?  he  inquired, 
without  the  least  sympathy  and  as  if  he  thought  that, 
if  so,  I^d  got  no  more  than  I  deserved. 

"  Yes ;  disease,"  I  admitted  in  a  cheerful  tone  which 
seemed  to  shock  him.  But  my  point  was  gained, 
because  he  had  to  raise  his  voice  to  give  me  his  tale. 
It  is  not  worth  while  to  record  that  version.  It  was 
just  over  two  months  since  all  this  had  happened,  and 
he  had  thought  so  much  about  it  that  he  seemed 
completely  muddled  as  to  its  bearings,  but  still 
immensely  impressed. 


144  'TWIXT  LAND  AT^D  SEA 

"  What  would  you  think  of  such  a  thing  happening 
on  board  your  own  ship  ?  Vwe  had  the  Sephora  for 
these  fifteen  years.     I  am  a  well-known  shipmaster." 

He  was  densely  distressed  —  and  perhaps  I  should 
have  sympathised  with  him  if  I  had  been  able  to  detach 
my  mental  vision  from  the  unsuspected  sharer  of  my 
cabin  as  though  he  were  my  second  self.  There  he 
was  on  the  other  side  of  the  bulkhead,  four  or  ^ve  feet 
from  us,  no  more,  as  we  sat  in  the  saloon.  I  looked 
politely  at  Captain  Archbold  (if  that  was  his  name), 
but  it  was  the  other  I  saw,  in  a  grey  sleeping-suit, 
seated  on  a  low  stool,  his  bare  feet  close  together,  his 
arms  folded,  and  every  word  said  between  us  falling 
into  the  ears  of  his  dark  head  bowed  on  his  chest. 

"  I  have  been  at  sea  now,  man  and  boy,  for  seven- 
and-thirty  years,  and  IVe  never  heard  of  such  a  thing 
happening  in  an  English  ship.  And  that  it  should  be 
my  ship.     Wife  on  board,  too." 

I  was  hardly  listening  to  him. 

"  Don't  you  think,"  I  said,  "  that  the  heavy  sea 
which,  you  told  me,  came  aboard  just  then  might  have 
killed  the  man  ?  I  have  seen  the  sheer  weight  of  a  sea 
kill  a  man  very  neatly,  by  simply  breaking  his  neck." 

"  Good  God !  "  he  uttered,  impressively,  fixing  his 
smeary  blue  eyes  on  me.  "  The  sea !  No  man  killed 
by  the  sea  ever  looked  like  that."  He  seemed  posi- 
tively scandalised  at  my  suggestion.  And  as  I  gazed 
at  him,  certainly  not  prepared  for  anything  original 
on  his  part,  he  advanced  his  head  close  to  mine  and 


THE  SECRET  SHARER  145 

thrust  his  tongue  out  at  me  so  suddenly  that  I  couldn't 
help  starting  hack. 

After  scoring  over  my  calmness  in  this  graphic  way 
he  nodded  wisely.  If  I  had  seen  the  sight,  he  assured 
me,  I  would  never  forget  it  as  long  as  I  lived.  The 
weather  was  too  bad  to  give  the  corpse  a  proper  sea 
burial.  So  next  day  at  dawn  they  took  it  up  on  the 
poop,  covering  its  face  with  a  bit  of  bunting;  he  read 
a  short  prayer,  and  then,  just  as  it  was,  in  its  oilskins 
and  long  boots,  they  launched  it  amongst  those  moun- 
tainous seas'  that  seemed  ready  every  moment  to 
swallow  up  the  ship  herself  and  the  terrified  lives  on 
board  of  her. 

"  That  reefed  foresail  saved  you,"  I  threw  in. 

"  Under  God  —  it  did,"  he  exclaimed  fervently. 
"  It  was  by  a  special  mercy,  I  firmly  believe,  that  it 
stood  some  of  those  hurricane  squalls." 

"  It  was  the  setting  of  that  sail  which "  I  began. 

"  God's  own  hand  in  it,"  he  interrupted  me. 
"  ^Nothing  less  could  have  done  it.  I  don't  mind 
telling  you  that  I  hardly  dared  give  the  order.  It 
seemed  impossible  that  we  coujd  touch  anything  with- 
out losing  it,  and  then  our  last  hope  would  have  been 
gone." 

The  terror  of  that  gale  was  on  him  yet.  I  let  him 
go  on  for  a  bit,  then  said,  casually  —  as  if  returning  to 
a  minor  subject : 

"  You  were  very  anxious  to  give  up  your  mate  to 
the  shore  people,  I  believe  ? " 


146  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

He  was.  To  the  law.  His  obscure  tenacity  on 
that  point  had  in  it  something  incomprehensible  and 
a  little  awful;  something,  as  it  were,  mystical,  quite 
apart  from  his  anxiety  that  he  should  not  be  suspected 
of  "  countenancing  any  doings  of  that  sort."  Seven- 
and-thirty  virtuous  years  at  sea,  of  which  over  twenty 
of  immaculate  command,  and  the  last  fifteen  in  the 
Sephora,  seemed  to  have  laid  him  under  some  pitiless 
obligation. 

"  And  you  know,"  he  went  on,  groping  shamefacedly 
amongst  his  feelings,  "  I  did  not  engage  that  young 
fellow.  His  people  had  some  interest  with  my  owners. 
I  was  in  a  way  forced  to  take  him  on.  He  looked  very 
smart,  very  gentlemanly,  and  all  that.  But  do  you 
know  —  I  never  liked  him,  somehow.  I  am  a  plain 
man.  You  see,  he  wasn't  exactly  the  sort  for  the  chief 
mate  of  a  ship  like  the  Sephora." 

I  had  become  so  connected  in  thoughts  and  im- 
pressions with  the  secret  sharer  of  my  cabin  that  I 
felt  as  if  I,  personally,  were  being  given  to  understand 
that  I,  too,  was  not  the  sort  that  would  have  done  for 
the  chief  mate  of  a  ship  like  the  Sephora.  I  had  no 
doubt  of  it  in  my  mind. 

"  Not  at  all  the  style  of  man.  You  understand,"  he 
insisted,  superfluously,  looking  hard  at  me. 

I  smiled  urbanely.     He  seemed  at  a  loss  for  a  while. 

"  I  suppose  I  must  report  a  suicide." 

"  Beg  pardon  ?  " 

"  Sui-cide !  That's  what  I'll  have  to  write  to  my 
owners  directly  I  get  in." 


THE  SECEET- SHAKER  147 

"  Unless  jou  manage  to  recover  him  before  to- 
morrow," I  assented,  dispassionately.  .  .  .  "I  mean, 
alive." 

He  mumbled  something  which  I  really  did  not  catch, 
and  I  turned  my  ear  to  him  in  a  puzzled  manner.  He 
fairly  bawled: 

"  The  land  —  I  say,  the  mainland  is  at  least  seven 
miles  off  my  anchorage." 

"  About  that." 

My  lack  of  excitement,  of  curiosity,  of  surprise,  of 
any  sort  of  pronounced  interest,  began  to  arouse  his 
distrust.  But  except  for  the  felicitous  pretence  of 
deafness  I  had  not  tried  to  pretend  anything.  I 
had  felt  utterly  incapable  of  playing  the  part  of 
ignorance  properly,  and  therefore  was  afraid  to  try. 
It  is  also  certain  that  he  had  brought  some  ready- 
made  suspicions  with  him,  and  that  he  viewed  my 
politeness  as  a  strange  and  unnatural  phenomenon. 
And  yet  how  else  could  I  have  received  him?  Not 
heartily!  That  was  impossible  for  psychological  rea- 
sons, which  I  need  not  state  here.  My  only  object  was 
to  keep  off  his  inquiries.  Surlily  ?  Yes,  but  surliness 
might  have  provoked  a  point-blank  question.  From 
its  novelty  to  him  and  from  its  nature,  punctilious 
courtesy  was  the  manner  best  calculated  to  restrain 
the  man.  But  there  was  the  danger  of  his  breaking 
through  my  defence  bluntly.  I  could  not,  I  think, 
have  met  him  by  a  direct  lie,  also  for  psychological 
(not  moral)  reasons.  If  he  had  only  known  how  afraid 
I  was  of  his  putting  my  feeling  of  identity  with  the 


148  'TWIXT  LAOT)  AND  SEA 

other  to  the  test !  But,  strangely  enough  — (I  thought 
of  it  only  afterward) —  I  believe  that  he  was  not  a 
little  disconcerted  by  the  reverse  side  of  that  weird 
situation,  by  something  in  me  that  reminded  him 
of  the  man  he  was  seeking  —  suggested  a  mysterious 
similitude  to  the  young  fellow  he  had  distrusted  and 
disliked  from  the  first. 

However  that  might  have  been,  the  silence  was  not 
very  prolonged.     He  took  another  oblique  step. 

"  I  reckon  I  had  no  more  than  a  two-mile  pull  to 
your  ship.     Not  a  bit  more." 

"  And  quite  enough,  too,  in  this  awful  heat,"  I 
said. 

Another  pause  full  of  mistrust  followed.  Necessity, 
they  say,  is  mother  of  invention,  but  fear,  too,  is  not 
barren  of  ingenious  suggestions.  And  I  was  afraid  he 
would  ask  me  point-blank  for  news  of  my  other  self. 

"  Nice  little  saloon,  isn't  it  ? "  I  remarked,  as  if 
noticing  for  the  first  time  the  way  his  eyes  roamed 
from  one  closed  door  to  the  other.  "  And  very  well 
fitted  out,  too.  Here,  for  instance,"  I  continued, 
reaching  over  the  back  of  my  seat  negligently  and 
flinging  the  door  open,  "  is  my  bath-room." 

He  made  an  eager  movement,  but  hardly  gave  it  a 
glance.  I  got  up,  shut  the  door  of  the  bath-room,  and 
invited  him  to  have  a  look  round,  as  if  I  were  very 
proud  of  my  accommodation.  He  had  to  rise  and  be 
shown  round,  but  he  went  through  the  business  without 
any  raptures  whatever. 

"And  now  we'll  have  a  look  at  my  stateroom,"  I 


THE  SECEET  SHARER  149' 

declared,  in  a  voice  as  loud  as  I  dared  to  make  it, 
crossing  the  cabin  to  the  starboard  side  with  purposely 
heavy  steps. 

He  followed  me  in  and  gazed  around.  My  intelli- 
gent double  had  vanished.     I  played  my  part. 

*'  Very  convenient  —  isn't  it  ?  " 

"  Very  nice.  Very  comf  .  .  ."  He  didn't  finish, 
and  went  out  brusquely  as  if  to  escape  from  some  un- 
righteous wiles  of  mine.  But  it  was  not  to  be.  I  had 
been  too  frightened  not  to  feel  vengeful;  I  felt  I  had 
him  on  the  run,  and  I  meant  to  keep  him  on  the  run. 
My  polite  insistence  must  have  had  something  menac- 
ing in  it,  because  he  gave  in  suddenly.  And  I  did  not 
let  him  off  a  single  item;  mate's  room,  pantry,  store- 
rooms, the  very  sail-locker  which  was  also  under  the 
poop  —  he  had  to  look  into  them  all.  When  at  last  I 
showed  him  out  on  the  quarter-deck  he  drew  a  long, 
spiritless  sigh,  and  mumbled  dismally  that  he  must 
really  be  going  back  to  his  ship  now.  I  desired  my 
mate,  who  had  joined  us,  to  see  to  the  captain's  boat. 

The  man  of  whiskers  gave  a  blast  on  the  whistle 
which  he  used  to  wear  hanging  round  his  neck,  and 
yelled,  ''  Sephoras  away !  "  My  double  down  there  in 
my  cabin  must  have  heard,  and  certainly  could  not 
feel  more  relieved  than  I.  Eour  fellows  came  running 
out  from  somewhere  forward  and  went  over  the  side, 
while  my  own  men,  appearing  on  deck  too,  lined  the 
rail.  I  escorted  my  visitor  to  the  gangway  ceremoni- 
ously, and  nearly  overdid  it.  He  was  a  tenacious 
beast.     On  the  very  ladder  he  lingered,  and  in  that 


150  'TWIXT  LAOT)  AND  SEA 

unique,  guiltily  conscientious  manner  of  sticking  to  the 
point : 

"  I  say  .  .  .  you  .  .  .  you  don't  think  that " 

I  covered  his  voice  loudly: 

"  Certainly  not.  ...  I  am  delighted.     Good-bye." 

I  had  an  idea  of  what  he  meant  to  say,  and  just 
saved  myself  by  the  privilege  of  defective  hearing.  He 
was  too  shaken  generally  to  insist,  but  my  mate,  close 
witness  of  that  parting,  looked  mystified  and  his  face 
took  on  a  thoughtful  cast.  As  I  did  not  want  to  appear 
as  if  I  wished  to  avoid  all  communication  with  my 
officers,  he  had  the  opportunity  to  address  me. 

"  Seems  a  very  nice  man.  His  boat's  crew  told  our 
chaps  a  very  extraordinary  story,  if  what  I  am  told  by 
the  steward  is  true.  I  suppose  you  had  it  from  the 
captain,  sir  ?  " 

"  Yes.     I  had  a  story  from  the  captain." 

"  A  very  horrible  affair  —  isn't  it,  sir  ?  " 

"  It  is." 

"  Beats  all  these  tales  we  hear  about  murders  in 
Yankee  ships." 

"  I  don't  think  it  beats  them.  I  don't  think  it  re- 
sembles them  in  the  least." 

"  Bless  my  soul  —  you  don't  say  so !  But  of  course 
I've  no  acquaintance  whatever  with  American  ships, 
not  I,  so  I  couldn't  go  against  your  knowledge.  It's 
horrible  enough  for  me.  .  .  .  But  the  queerest  part  is 
that  those  fellows  seemed  to  have  some  idea  the  man 
was  hidden  aboard  here.  They  had  really.  Did  you 
ever  hear  of  such  a  thing  ? " 


THE  SECKET  SHAKEE  151 

"  Preposterous  —  isn't  it  ?  " 

We  were  walking  to  and  fro  athwart  the  quarter- 
deck. No  one  of  the  crew  forward  could  be  seen  (the 
day  was  Sunday),  and  the  mate  pursued: 

"  There  was  some  little  dispute  about  it.  Our  chaps 
took  offence.  '  As  if  we  would  harbour  a  thing  like 
that/  they  said.  '  Wouldn't  you  like  to  look  for  him 
in  our  coal-hole  ? '  Quite  a  tiff.  But  they  made  it  up 
in  the  end.  I  suppose  he  did  drown  himself.  Don't 
you,  sir?" 

"  I  don't  suppose  anything." 

"  You  have  no  doubt  in  the  matter,  sir  ?  " 

^'  None  whatever." 

I  left  him  suddenly.  I  felt  I  was  producing  a  bad 
impression,  but  with  my  double  down  there  it  was  most 
trying  to  be  on  deck.  And  it  was  almost  as  trying  to 
be  below.  Altogether  a  nerve-trying  situation.  But 
on  the  whole  I  felt  less  torn  in  two  when  I  was  with 
him.  There  was  no  one  in  the  whole  ship  whom  I 
dared  take  into  my  confidence.  Since  the  hands  had 
got  to  know  his  story,  it  would  have  been  impossible 
to  pass  him  off  for  any  one  else,  and  an  accidental  dis- 
covery was  to  be  dreaded  now  more  than  ever.  .  .  . 

The  steward  being  engaged  in  laying  the  table  for 
dinner,  we  could  talk  only  with  our  eyes  when  I  first 
went  down.  Later  in  the  afternoon  we  had  a  cautious 
try  at  whispering.  The  Sunday  quietness  of  the  ship 
was  against  us;  the  stillness  of  air  and  water  around 
her  was  against  us ;  the  elements,  the  men  were  against 
us  —  everything  was  against  us  in  our  secret  partner- 


152  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

ship ;  time  itself  —  for  this  could  not  go  on  forever. 
The  very  trust  in  Providence  was,  I  suppose,  denied  to 
his  guilt.  Shall  I  confess  that  this  thought  cast  me 
down  very  much?  And  as  to  the  chapter  of  accidents 
which  counts  for  so  much  in  the  book  of  success,  I  could 
only  hope  that  it  was  closed.  For  what  favourable  ac- 
cident could  be  expected  ? 

"  Did  you  hear  everything  ?  "  were  my  first  words  as 
soon  as  we  took  up  our  position  side  by  side,  leaning 
over  my  bed-place. 

He  had.  And  the  proof  of  it  was  his  earnest  whis- 
per, "  The  man  told  you  he  hardly  dared  to  give  the 
order." 

I  understood  the  reference  to  be  to  that  saving  fore- 
saiL 

"  Yes.  He  was  afraid  of  it  being  lost  in  the  set- 
ting." 

"  I  assure  you  he  never  gave  the  order.  He  may 
think  he  did,  but  he  never  gave  it.  He  stood  there 
with  me  on  the  break  of  the  poop  after  the  maintopsail 
blew  away,  and  whimpered  about  our  last  hope  — 
positively  whimpered  about  it  and  nothing  else  —  and 
the  night  coming  on !  To  hear  one's  skipper  go  on  like 
that  in  such  weather  was  enough  to  drive  any  fellow 
out  of  his  mind.  It  worked  me  up  into  a  sort  of 
desperation.     I  just  took  it  into  my  own  hands  and 

went  away  from  him,  boiling,  and But  what's 

the  use  telling  you?  You  know!  ...  Do  you  think 
that  if  I  had  not  been  pretty  fierce  with  them  I  should 
have  got  the  men  to  do  anything  ?     Not  it  I     The  bo's'n 


THE  SECEET  SHAKER  163 

perhaps  ?  Perhaps !  It  wasn't  a  heavy  sea  —  it  was  a 
sea  gone  mad !  I  suppose  the  end  of  the  world  will  be 
something  like  that;  and  a  man  may  have  the  heart 
to  see  it  coming  once  and  he  done  with  it  —  but  to  have 

to  face  it  day  after  day I  don't  blame  anybody. 

I  was  precious  little  better  than  the  rest.  Only  —  I 
was  an  officer  of  that  old  coal-waggon,  anyhow " 

"  I  quite  understand,"  I  conveyed  that  sincere 
assurance  into  his  ear.  He  was  out  of  breath  with 
whispering ;  I  could  hear  him  pant  slightly.  It  was  all 
very  simple.  The  same  strung-up  force  which  had 
given  twenty-four  men  a  chance,  at  least,  for  their  lives, 
had,  in  a  sort  of  recoil,  crushed  an  unworthy  mutinous 
existence. 

But  I  had  no  leisure  to  weigh  the  merits  of  the 
matter  —  footsteps  in  the  saloon,  a  heavy  knock. 
"  There's  enough  wind  to  get  under  way  with,  sir." 
Here  was  the  call  of  a  new  claim  upon  my  thoughts  and 
even  upon  my  feelings. 

"  Turn  the  hands  up,"  I  cried  through  the  door. 
"  I'll  be  on  deck  directly." 

I  was  going  out  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  my 
ship.  Before  I  left  the  cabin  our  eyes  met  —  the  eyes 
of  the  only  two  strangers  on  board.  I  pointed  to  the 
recessed  part  where  the  little  camp-stool  awaited  him 
and  laid  my  finger  on  my  lips.  He  made  a  gesture  — 
somewhat  vague  —  a  little  mysterious,  accompanied  by 
a  faint  smile,  as  if  of  regret. 

This  is  not  the  place  to  enlarge  upon  the  sensations 
of  a  man  who  feels  for  the  first  time  a  ship  move  under 


164  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

his  feet  to  his  own  independent  word.  In  my  case  they 
were  not  unalloyed.  I  was  not  wholly  alone  with  my 
command;  for  there  was  that  stranger  in  my  cabin. 
Or  rather,  I  was  not  completely  and  wholly  with  her. 
Part  of  me  was  absent.  That  mental  feeling  of  being 
in  two  places  at  once  affected  me  physically  as  if  the 
mood  of  secrecy  had  penetrated  my  very  soul.  Before 
an  hour  had  elapsed  since  the  ship  had  begun  to  move, 
having  occasion  to  ask  the  mate  (he  stood  by  my  side) 
to  take  a  compass  bearing  of  the  Pagoda,  I  caught  my- 
self reaching  up  to  his  ear  in  whispers.  I  say  I  caught 
myself,  but  enough  had  escaped  to  startle  the  man.  I 
can't  describe  it  otherwise  than  by  saying  that  he  shied. 
A  grave,  preoccupied  manner,  as  though  he  were  in 
possession  of  some  perplexing  intelligence,  did  not  leave 
him  henceforth.  A  little  later  I  moved  away  from  the 
rail  to  look  at  the  compass  with  such  a  stealthy  gait 
that  the  helmsman  noticed  it  —  and  I  could  not  help 
noticing  the  unusual  roundness  of  his  eyes.  These  are 
trifling  instances,  though  it's  to  no  commander's  ad- 
vantage to  be  suspected  of  ludicrous  eccentricities. 
But  I  was  also  more  seriously  affected.  There  are  to 
a  seaman  certain  words,  gestures,  that  should  in  given 
conditions  come  as  naturally,  as  instinctively  as  the 
winking  of  a  menaced  eya  A  certain  order  should 
spring  on  to  his  lips  without  thinking;  a  certain  sign 
should  get  itself  made,  so  to  speak,  without  reflection. 
But  all  unconscious  alertness  had  abandoned  me.  I 
had  to  make  an  effort  of  will  to  recall  myself  back 
(from  the  cabin)  to  the  conditions  of  the  moment.     I 


THE  SECEET  SHAKEE  155 

felt  that  I  was  appearing  an  irresolute  commander  to 
those  people  who  were  watching  me  more  or  less  critic- 
ally. 

And,  besides,  there  were  the  scares.  On  the  second 
day  out,  for  instance,  coming  off  the  deck  in  the  after- 
noon (I  had  straw  slippers  on  my  bare  feet)  I  stopped 
at  the  open  pantry  door  and  spoke  to  the  steward.  He 
was  doing  something  there  with  his  back  to  me.  At 
the  sound  of  my  voice  he  nearly  jumped  out  of  his  skin, 
as  the  saying  is,  and  incidentally  broke  a  cup. 

"  What  on  earth's  the  matter  with  you  ? "  I  asked, 
astonished. 

He  was  extremely  confused.  "Beg  your  pardon, 
sir.     I  made  sure  you  were  in  your  cabin." 

"  You  see  I  wasn't." 

"  'No,  sir.  I  could  have  sworn  I  had  heard  you  mov- 
ing in  there  not  a  moment  ago.  It's  most  extraor- 
dinary .  .  .  very  sorry,  sir." 

I  passed  on  with  an  inward  shudder.  I  was  so 
identified  with  my  secret  double  that  I  did  not  even 
mention  the  fact  in  those  scanty,  fearful  whispers  we 
exchanged.  I  suppose  he  had  made  some  slight  noise 
of  some  kind  or  other.  It  would  have  been  miraculous 
if  he  hadn't  at  one  time  or  another.  And  yet,  hag- 
gard as  he  appeared,  he  looked  always  perfectly  self- 
controlled,  more  than  calm  —  almost  invulnerable. 
On  my  suggestion  he  remained  almost  entirely  in  the 
bath-room,  which,  upon  the  whole,  was  the  safest  place. 
There  could  be  really  no  shadow  of  an  excuse  for  any 
one  ever  wanting  to  go  in  there,  once  the  steward  had 


156  ^TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

done  with  it.  It  was  a  very  tiny  place.  Sometimes 
lie  reclined  on  the  floor,  his  legs  bent,  his  head  sustained 
on  one  elbow.  At  others  I  would  find  him  on  the  camp- 
stool,  sitting  in  his  grey  sleeping-suit  and  with  his 
cropped  dark  hair  like  a  patient,  unmoved  convict.  At 
night  I  would  smuggle  him  into  my  bed-place,  and  we 
would  whisper  together,  with  the  regular  footfalls  of 
the  officer  of  the  watch  passing  and  repassing  over  our 
heads.  It  was  an  infinitely  miserable  time.  It  was 
lucky  that  some  tins  of  fine  preserves  were  stowed  in 
a  locker  in  my  stateroom;  hard  bread  I  could  always 
get  hold  of;  and  so  he  lived  on  stewed  chicken,  pate 
de  foie  gras,  asparagus,  cooked  oysters,  sardines  —  on 
all  sorts  of  abominable  sham  delicacies  out  of  tins. 
My  early  morning  coffee  he  always  drank;  and  it  was 
all  I  dared  do  for  him  in  that  respect. 

Every  day  there  was  the  horrible  manoeuvring  to  go 
through  so  that  my  room  and  then  the  bath-room  should 
be  done  in  the  usual  way.  I  came  to  hate  the  sight  of 
the  steward,  to  abhor  the  voice  of  that  harmless  man. 
I  felt  that  it  was  he  who  would  bring  on  the  disaster  of 
discovery.     It  hung  like  a  sword  over  our  heads. 

The  fourth  day  out,  I  think  (we  were  then  working 
down  the  east  side  of  the  Gulf  of  Siam,  tack  for  tack, 
in  light  winds  and  smooth  water)  —  the  fourth  day,  I 
say,  of  this  miserable  juggling  with  the  unavoidable, 
as  we  sat  at  our  evening  meal,  that  man,  whose  slight- 
est movement  I  dreaded,  after  putting  do^vn  the  dishes 
ran  up  on  deck  busily.  This  could  not  be  dangerous. 
Presently  he  came  down  again;  and  then  it  appeared 


THE  SECKET  SHAEER  157 

that  he  had  remembered  a  coat  of  mine  which  I  had 
thrown  over  a  rail  to  dry  after  having  been  wetted  in 
a  shower  which  had  passed  over  the  ship  in  the  after- 
noon. Sitting  stolidly  at  the  head  of  the  table  I  be- 
came terrified  at  the  sight  of  the  garment  on  his  arm. 
Of  course  he  made  for  my  door.  There  was  no  time  to 
lose. 

"  Steward,"  I  thundered.  My  nerves  were  so 
shaken  that  I  could  not  govern  my  voice  and  conceal  my 
agitation.  This  was  the  sort  of  thing  that  made  my 
terrifically  whiskered  mate  tap  his  forehead  with  his 
forefinger.  I  had  detected  him  using  that  gesture 
while  talking  on  deck  with  a  confidential  air  to  the  car- 
penter. It  was  too  far  to  hear  a  word,  but  I  had  no 
doubt  that  this  pantomime  could  only  refer  to  the 
strange  new  captain. 

"  Yes,  sir,''  the  pale-faced  steward  turned  resignedly 
to  me.  It  was  this  maddening  course  of  being  shouted 
at,  checked  without  rhyme  or  reason,  arbitrarily  chased 
out  of  my  cabin,  suddenly  called  into  it,  sent  flying 
out  of  his  pantry  on  incomprehensible  errands,  that 
accounted  for  the  growing  wretchedness  of  his  expres- 
sion. 

"  Where  are  you  going  with  that  coat  ? " 

"  To  your  room,  sir." 

"  Is  there  another  shower  coming  ?  " 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know,  sir.  Shall  I  go  up  again 
and  see,  sir  ?  " 

"  jN'o  !  never  mind." 

My  object  was  attained,  as  of  course  my  other  self 


168  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

in  there  would  have  heard  everything  that  passed. 
During  this  interlude  my  two  officers  never  raised  their 
eyes  off  their  respective  plates ;  but  the  lip  of  that  con- 
founded cub,  the  second  mate,  quivered  visibly. 

I  expected  the  steward  to  hook  my  coat  on  and  come 
out  at  once.  He  was  very  slow  about  it;  but  I  domi- 
nated my  nervousness  sufficiently  not  to  shout  after 
him.  Suddenly  I  became  aware  (it  could  be  heard 
plainly  enough)  that  the  fellow  for  some  reason  or 
other  was  opening  the  door  of  the  bath-room.  It  was 
the  end.  The  place  was  literally  not  big  enough  to 
swing  a  cat  in.  My  voice  died  in  my  throat  and  I  went 
stony  all  over.  I  expected  to  hear  a  yell  of  surprise 
and  terror,  and  made  a  movement,  but  had  not  the 
strength  to  get  on  my  legs.  Everything  remained  still. 
Had  my  second  self  taken  the  poor  wretch  by  the 
throat?  I  don't  know  what  I  would  have  done  next 
moment  if  I  had  not  seen  the  steward  come  out  of  my 
room,  close  the  door,  and  then  stand  quietly  by  the 
sideboard. 

"Saved,"  I  thought.  "But,  no!  Lost!  Gone! 
He  was  gone !  " 

I  laid  my  knife  and  fork  down  and  leaned  back  in 
my  chair.  My  head  swam.  After  a  while,  when 
sufficiently  recovered  to  speak  in  a  steady  voice,  I  in- 
structed my  mate  to  put  the  ship  round  at  eight  o^clock 
himself. 

"  I  won't  come  on  deck,"  I  went  on.  "  I  think  I'll 
turn  in,  and  unless  the  wind  shifts  I  don't  want  to  be 
disturbed  before  midnight.     I  feel  a  bit  seedy." 


THE  SECKET  SHAKEK  159 

"  You  did  look  middling  bad  a  little  while  ago,"  the 
chief  mate  remarked  without  showing  any  great  con- 
cern. 

They  both  went  out,  and  I  stared  at  the  steward 
clearing  the  table.  There  was  nothing  to  be  read  on 
that  wretched  man's  face.  But  why  did  he  avoid  my 
eyes  I  asked  myself.  Then  I  thought  I  should  like  to 
hear  the  sound  of  his  voice. 

"Steward!" 

"Sir!"     Startled  as  usual. 

"  Where  did  you  hang  up  that  coat  ? " 

"  In  the  bath-room,  sir."  The  usual  anxious  tone. 
"  It's  not  quite  dry  yet,  sir." 

For  some  time  longer  I  sat  in  the  cuddy.  Had  my 
double  vanished  as  he  had  come?  But  of  his  coming 
there  was  an  explanation,  whereas  his  disappearance 
would  be  inexplicable.  ...  I  went  slowly  into  my 
dark  room,  shut  the  door,  lighted  the  lamp,  and  for  a 
time  dared  not  turn  round.  When  at  last  I  did  I  saw 
him  standing  bolt-upright  in  the  narrow  recessed  part. 
It  would  not  be  true  to  say  I  had  a  shock,  but  an 
irresistible  doubt  of  his  bodily  existence  flitted  through 
my  mind.  Can  it  be,  I  asked  myself,  that  he  is  not 
visible  to  other  eyes  than  mine?  It  was  like  being 
haunted.  Motionless,  with  a  grave  face,  he  raised  his 
hands  slightly  at  me  in  a  gesture  which  meant  clearly, 
"  Heavens !  what  a  narrow  escape !  "  l^arrow  indeed. 
I  think  I  had  come  creeping  quietly  as  near  insanity 
as  any  man  who  has  not  actually  gone  over  the  border. 
That  gesture  restrained  me,  so  to  speak. 


160  'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

The  mate  with  the  terrific  whiskers  was  now  putting 
the  ship  on  the  other  tack.  In  the  moment  of  pro- 
found silence  which  follows  upon  the  hands  going  to 
their  stations  I  heard  on  the  poop  his  raised  voice: 
"  Hard  alee !  "  and  the  distant  shout  of  the  order  re- 
peated on  the  maindeck.  The  sails,  in  that  light 
breeze,  made  but  a  faint  fluttering  noise.  It  ceased. 
The  ship  was  coming  round  slowly;  I  held  my  breath 
in  the  renewed  stillness  of  expectation;  one  wouldn't 
have  thought  that  there  was  a  single  living  soul  on  her 
decks.  A  sudden  brisk  shout,  "  Mainsail  haul ! " 
broke  the  spell,  and  in  the  noisy  cries  and  rush  over- 
head of  the  men  running  away  with  the  main-brace 
we  two,  down  in  my  cabin,  came  together  in  our  usual 
position  by  the  bed-place. 

He  did  not  wait  for  my  question.  "  I  heard  him 
fumbling  here  and  just  managed  to  squat  myself  dowTi 
in  the  bath,"  he  whispered  to  me.  "  The  fellow  only 
opened  the  door  and  put  his  arm  in  to  hang  the  coat 
up.     All  the  same " 

"  I  never  thought  of  that,"  I  whispered  back,  even 
more  appalled  than  before  at  the  closeness  of  the  shave, 
and  marvelling  at  that  something  unyielding  in  his 
character  which  was  carrying  him  through  so  finely. 
There  was  no  agitation  in  his  whisper.  Whoever  was 
being  driven  distract od,  it  was  not  he.  He  was  sane. 
And  the  proof  of  his  sanity  was  continued  when  he 
took  up  the  whispering  again. 

"  It  would  never  do  for  me  to  come  to  life  again." 

It  was  something  that  a  ghost  might  have  said.    But 


THE  SECRET  SHARER  161 

what  he  was  alluding  to  was  his  old  captain's  reluctant 
admission  of  the  theory  of  suicide.  It  would  obviously 
serve  his  turn  —  if  I  had  understood  at  all  the  view 
which  seemed  to  govern  the  unalterable  purpose  of  his 
action. 

"  You  must  maroon  me  as  soon  as  ever  you  can  get 
amongst  these  islands  off  the  Cambodje  shore,"  he 
went  on. 

"  Maroon  you !  We  are  not  living  in  a  boy's  ad- 
venture tale,"  I  protested.  His  scornful  whispering 
took  me  up. 

"  We  aren't  indeed !  There's  nothing  of  a  boy's  tale 
in  this.  But  there's  nothing  else  for  it.  I  want  no 
more.  You  don't  suppose  I  am  afraid  of  what  can  be 
done  to  me  ?  Prison  or  gallows  or  whatever  they  may 
please.  But  you  don't  see  me  coming  back  to  explain 
such  things  to  an  old  fellow  in  a  wig  and  twelve  re- 
spectable tradesmen,  do  you?  What  can  they  know 
whether  I  am  guilty  or  not  —  or  of  what  I  am  guilty, 
either?  That's  my  affair.  What  does  the  Bible  say? 
^  Driven  off  the  face  of  the  earth.'  Very  well.  I  am 
off  the  face  of  the  earth  now.  As  I  came  at  night  so 
I  shall  go." 

"  Impossible !  "  I  murmured.     "  You  can't." 

"  Can't  ?  .  .  .  'Not  naked  like  a  soul  on  the  Day  of 
Judgment.  I  shall  freeze  on  to  this  sleeping-suit. 
The  Last  Day  is  not  yet  —  and  .  .  .  you  have  under- 
stood thoroughly.     Didn't  you  ?  " 

I  felt  suddenly  ashamed  of  myself.  I  may  say  truly 
that  I  understood  —  and  my  hesitation  in  letting  that 


162  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

man  swim  away  from  my  ship's  side  had  been  a  mere 
sham  sentiment,  a  sort  of  cowardice. 

"  It  can't  be  done  now  till  next  night,"  I  breathed 
out.  "  The  ship  is  on  the  off-shore  tack  and  the  wind 
may  fail  us." 

"  As  long  as  I  know  that  you  understand,"  he 
whispered.  "  But  of  course  you  do.  It's  a  great  sat- 
isfaction to  have  got  somebody  to  understand.  You 
seem  to  have  been  there  on  purpose."  And  in  the 
same  whisper,  as  if  we  two  whenever  we  talked  had  to 
say  things  to  each  other  which  were  not  fit  for  the 
world  to  hear,  he  added,  "  It's  very  wonderful." 

We  remained  side  by  side  talking  in  our  secret  way 
—  but  sometimes  silent  or  just  exchanging  a  whispered 
word  or  two  at  long  intervals.  And  as  usual  he  stared 
through  the  port.  A  breath  of  wind  came  now  and 
again  into  our  faces.  The  ship  might  have  been 
moored  in  dock,  so  gently  and  on  an  even  keel  she 
slipped  through  the  water,  that  did  not  murmur  even 
at  our  passage,  shadowy  and  silent  like  a  phantom  sea. 

At  midnight  I  went  on  deck,  and  to  my  mate's  great 
surprise  put  the  ship  round  on  the  other  tack.  His 
terrible  whiskers  flitted  round  me  in  silent  criticism. 
I  certainly  should  not  have  done  it  if  it  had  been  only 
a  question  of  getting  out  of  that  sleepy  gulf  as  quickly 
as  possible.  I  believe  he  told  the  second  mate,  who 
relieved  him,  that  it  was  a  great  want  of  judgment. 
The  other  only  yawned.  That  intolerable  cub  shuffled 
about  so  sleepily  and  lolled  against  the  rails  in  such  a 


THE  SECKET  SHAKEE  168 

slack,  improper  fashion  that  I  came  down  on  him 
sharply. 

"Aren't  you  properly  awake  yet?" 

"  Yes,  sir !     I  am  awake." 

"  Well,  then,  be  good  enough  to  hold  yourself  as  if 
you  were.  And  keep  a  look-out.  If  there's  any  cur- 
rent we'll  be  closing  with  some  islands  before  day- 
light." 

The  east  side  of  the  gulf  is  fringed  with  islands, 
some  solitary,  others  in  groups.  On  the  blue  back- 
ground of  the  high  coast  they  seem  to  float  on  silvery 
patches  of  calm  water,  arid  and  grey,  or  dark  green 
and  rounded  like  clumps  of  evergreen  bushes,  with  the 
larger  ones,  a  mile  or  two  long,  showing  the  outlines 
of  ridges,  ribs  of  grey  rock  under  the  dark  mantle  of 
matted  leafage.  Unknown  to  trade,  to  travel,  almost 
to  geography,  the  manner  of  life  they  harbour  is  an 
unsolved  secret.  There  must  be  villages  —  settlements 
of  fishermen  at  least  —  on  the  largest  of  them,  and 
some  communication  with  the  world  is  probably  kept 
up  by  native  craft.  But  all  that  forenoon,  as  we 
headed  for  them,  fanned  along  by  the  faintest  of 
breezes,  I  saw  no  sign  of  man  or  canoe  in  the  field  of 
the  telescope  I  kept  on  pointing  at  the  scattered  group. 

At  noon  I  gave  no  orders  for  a  change  of  course, 
and  the  mate's  whiskers  became  much  concerned  and 
seemed  to  be  offering  themselves  unduly  to  my  notice. 
At  last  I  said: 

"  I  am  going  to  stand  right  in.  Quite  in  —  as  far 
as  I  can  take  her." 


164  'TWIXT  LAOT)  AND  SEA 

The  stare  of  extreme  surprise  imparted  an  air  of 
ferocity  also  to  his  eyes,  and  he  looked  truly  terrific 
for  a  moment. 

"  We're  not  doing  well  in  the  middle  of  the  gulf," 
I  continued,  casually.  "  I  am  going  to  look  for  the 
land  breezes  to-night." 

"  Bless  my  soul !  Do  you  mean,  sir,  in  the  dark 
amongst  the  lot  of  all  them  islands  and  reefs  and 
shoals  ?  " 

"  Well  —  if  there  are  any  regular  land  breezes  at  all 
on  this  coast  one  must  get  close  inshore  to  find  them, 
mustn't  one?" 

"  Bless  my  soul ! "  he  exclaimed  again  under  his 
breath.  All  that  afternoon  he  wore  a  dreamy,  con- 
templative appearance  which  in  him  was  a  mark  of 
perplexity.  After  dinner  I  went  into  my  stateroom 
as  if  I  meant  to  take  some  rest.  There  we  two  bent 
our  dark  heads  over  a  half-unrolled  chart  lying  on  my 
bed. 

"  There,"  I  said.  "  It's  got  to  be  Koh-ring.  I've 
been  looking  at  it  ever  since  sunrise.  It  has  got  two 
hills  and  a  low  point.  It  must  be  inhabited.  And 
on  the  coast  opposite  there  is  what  looks  like  the  mouth 
of  a  biggish  river  —  with  some  town,  no  doubt,  not 
far  up.     It's  the  best  chance  for  you  that  I  can  see." 

"  Anything.     Koh-ring  let  it  be." 

He  looked  thoughtfully  at  the  chart  as  if  surveying 
chances  and  distances  from  a  lofty  height  —  and  fol- 
lowing with  his  eyes  his  own  figure  wandering  on  the 
blank  land  of  Cochin-China,  and  then  passing  off  that 


THE  SECEET  SHAKER  165 

piece  of  paper  clean  out  of  sight  into  uncharted  re- 
gions. And  it  was  as  if  the  ship  had  two  captains  to 
plan  her  course  for  her.  I  had  been  so  worried  and 
restless  running  up  and  down  that  I  had  not  had  the 
patience  to  dress  that  day.  I  had  remained  in  my 
sleeping-suit,  with  straw  slippers  and  a  soft  floppy  hat. 
The  closeness  of  the  heat  in  the  gulf  had  been  most 
oppressive,  and  the  crew  were  used  to  see  me  wander- 
ing in  that  airy  attire. 

"  She  will  clear  the  south  point  as  she  heads  now," 
I  whispered  into  his  ear.  "  Goodness  only  knows 
when,  though,  but  certainly  after  dark.  I'll  edge  her 
in  to  half  a  mile,  as  far  as  I  may  be  able  to  judge  in 
the  dark " 

"  Be  careful,"  he  murmured,  wamingly  —  and  I 
realised  suddenly  that  all  my  future,  the  only  future 
for  which  I  was  fit,  would  perhaps  go  irretrievably  to 
pieces  in  any  mishap  to  my  first  command. 

I  could  not  stop  a  moment  longer  in  the  room.  I 
motioned  him  to  get  out  of  sight  and  made  my  way 
on  the  poop.  That  unplayful  cub  had  the  watch.  I 
walked  up  and  down  for  a  while  thinking  things  out, 
then  beckoned  him  over. 

"  Send  a  couple  of  hands  to  open  the  two  quarter- 
deck ports,"  I  said,  mildly. 

He  actually  had  the  impudence,  or  else  so  forgot 
himself  in  his  wonder  at  such  an  incomprehensible 
order,  as  to  repeat : 

"  Open  the  quarter-deck  ports !     What  for,  sir  ?  " 

"  The  only  reason  you  need  concern  yourself  about 


166  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

is  because  I  tell  you  to  do  so.  Have  them  open  wide 
and  fastened  properly." 

He  reddened  and  went  off,  but  I  believe  made  some 
jeering  remark  to  the  carpenter  as  to  the  sensible  prac- 
tice of  ventilating  a  ship^s  quarter-deck.  I  know  he 
popped  into  the  mate's  cabin  to  impart  the  fact  to  him 
because  the  whiskers  came  on  deck,  as  it  were  by 
chance,  and  stole  glances  at  me  from  below  —  for 
signs  of  lunacy  or  drunkenness,  I  suppose. 

A  little  before  supper,  feeling  more  restless  than 
ever,  I  rejoined,  for  a  moment,  my  second  self.  And 
to  find  him  sitting  so  quietly  was  surprising,  like  some- 
thing against  nature,  inhuman. 

I  developed  my  plan  in  a  hurried  whisper. 

"  I  shall  stand  in  as  close  as  I  dare  and  then  put  her 
round.  I  shall  presently  find  means  to  smuggle  you 
out  of  here  into  the  sail-locker,  which  communicates 
with  the  lobby.  But  there  is  an  opening,  a  sort  of 
square  for  hauling  the  sails  out,  which  gives  straight 
on  the  quarter-deck  and  which  is  never  closed  in  fine 
weather,  so  as  to  give  air  to  the  sails.  When  the  ship's 
way  is  deadened  in  stays  and  all  the  hands  are  aft  at 
the  main-braces  you  shall  have  a  clear  road  to  slip  out 
and  get  overboard  through  the  open  quarter-deck  port. 
I've  had  them  both  fastened  up.  Use  a  rope's  end  to 
lower  yourself  into  the  water  so  as  to  avoid  a  splash  — 
you  know.  It  could  be  heard  and  cause  some  beastly 
complication." 

He  kept  silent  for  a  while,  then  whispered,  "  I  un- 
derstand." 


THE  SECRET  SHARER  167 

"  I  won't  be  there  to  see  you  go,"  I  began  with  an 
effort.  "  The  rest  ...  I  only  hope  I  have  under- 
stood, too.'' 

"  You  have.  Erom  first  to  last  " —  and  for  the  first 
time  there  seemed  to  be  a  faltering,  something  strained 
in  his  whisper.  He  caught  hold  of  my  arm,  but  the 
ringing  of  the  supper  bell  made  me  start.  He  didn't, 
though ;  he  only  released  his  grip. 

After  supper  I  didn't  come  below  again  till  well  past 
eight  o'clock.  The  faint,  steady  breeze  was  loaded 
with  dew;  and  the  wet,  darkened  sails  held  all  there 
was  of  propelling  power  in  it.  The  night,  clear  and 
starry,  sparkled  darkly,  and  the  opaque,  lightless 
patches  shifting  slowly  against  the  low  stars  were  the 
drifting  islets.  On  the  port  bow  there  was  a  big  one 
more  distant  and  shade  wily  imposing  by  the  great 
space  of  sky  it  eclipsed. 

On  opening  the  door  I  had  a  back  view  of  my  very 
own  self  looking  at  a  chart.  He  had  come  out  of  the 
recess  and  was  standing  near  the  table. 

"  Quite  dark  enough,"  I  whispered. 

He  stepped  back  and  leaned  against  my  bed  with  a 
level,  quiet  glance.  I  sat  on  the  couch.  We  had 
nothing  to  say  to  each  other.  Over  our  heads  the  of- 
ficer of  the  watch  moved  here  and  there.  Then  I  heard 
him  move  quickly.  I  knew  what  that  meant.  He  was 
making  for  the  companion;  and  presentlv  his  voice 
^    was  outside  my  door. 

"  We  are  drawing  in  pretty  fast,  sir.  Land  looks 
rather  close." 


168  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

"  Very  well,"  I  answered.  "  I  am  coming  on  deck 
directly." 

I  waited  till  he  was  gone  out  of  the  cuddy,  then  rose. 
My  double  moved  too.  The  time  had  come  to  ex- 
change our  last  whispers,  for  neither  of  us  was  ever  to 
hear  each  other's  natural  voice. 

"  Look  here ! "  I  opened  a  drawer  and  took  out 
three  sovereigns.  "  Take  this,  anyhow.  I've  got  six 
and  I'd  give  you  the  lot,  only  I  must  keep  a  little  money 
to  buy  some  fruit  and  vegetables  for  the  crew  from  na- 
tive boats  as  we  go  through  Sunda  Straits." 

He  shook  his  head. 

"  Take  it,"  I  urged  him,  whispering  desperately. 
"  No  one  can  tell  what " 

He  smiled  and  slapped  meaningly  the  only  pocket  of 
the  sleeping-]' acket.  It  was  not  safe,  certainly.  But 
I  produced  a  large  old  silk  handkerchief  of  mine,  and 
tying  the  three  pieces  of  gold  in  a  comer,  pressed  it  on 
him.  He  was  touched,  I  suppose,  because  he  took  it 
at  last  and  tied  it  quickly  round  his  waist  under  the 
jacket,  on  his  bare  skin. 

Our  eyes  met;  several  seconds  elapsed,  till,  our 
glances  still  mingled,  I  extended  my  hand  and  turned 
the  lamp  out.  Then  I  passed  through  the  cuddy,  leav- 
ing the  door  of  my  room  wide  open.  ..."  Steward !  " 

He  was  still  lingering  in  the  pantry  in  the  greatness 
of  his  zeal,  giving  a  rub-up  to  a  plated  cruet  stand  the 
last  thing  before  going  to  bed.  Being  careful  not  to 
wake  up  the  mate,  whose  room  was  opposite,  I  spoke  in 
an  undertone. 


THE  SECRET  SHAEER  169 


yy 


He  looked  round  anxiously.     "  Sir ! 

"  Can  you  get  me  a  little  hot  water  from  the  galley  ?  " 

"  I  am  afraid,  sir,  the  galley  fire's  been  out  for  some 
time  now." 

"  Go  and  see." 

He  fled  up  the  stairs. 

"  ]^ow,"  I  whispered,  loudly,  into  the  saloon  —  too 
loudly,  perhaps,  but  I  was  afraid  I  couldn't  make  a 
sound.  He  was  by  my  side  in  an  instant  —  the  double 
captain  slipped  past  the  stairs  —  through  the  tiny  dark 
passage  ...  a  sliding  door.  We  were  in  the  sail- 
locker,  scrambling  on  our  knees  over  the  sails.  A  sud- 
den thought  struck  me.  I  saw  myself  wandering 
barefooted,  bareheaded,  the  sun  beating  on  my  dark 
poll.  I  snatched  off  my  floppy  hat  and  tried  hurriedly 
in  the  dark  to  ram  it  on  my  other  self.  He  dodged 
and  fended  off  silently.  I  wonder  what  he  thought 
had  come  to  me  before  he  understood  and  suddenly 
desisted.  Our  hands  met  gropingly,  lingered  united 
in  a  steady,  motionless  clasp  for  a  second.  .  .  .  'No 
word  was  breathed  by  either  of  us  when  they  separated. 

I  was  standing  quietly  by  the  pantry  door  when  the 
steward  returned. 

"  Sorry,  sir.  Kettle  barely  warm.  Shall  I  light 
the  spirit-lamp  ?  " 

"  ISTever  mind." 

I  came  out  on  deck  slowly.  It  was  now  a  matter  of 
conscience  to  shave  the  land  as  close  as  possible  —  for 
now  he  must  go  overboard  whenever  the  ship  was  put 
in  stays.     Must!     There  could  be  no  going  back  for 


170  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

him.  After  a  moment  I  walked  over  to  leeward  and 
my  heart  flew  into  my  mouth  at  the  nearness  of  the 
land  on  the  bow.  Under  any  other  circumstances  I 
would  not  have  held  on  a  minute  longer.  The  second 
mate  had  followed  me  anxiously. 

I  looked  on  till  I  felt  I  could  command  my  voice. 

"  She  will  weather,"  I  said  then  in  a  quiet  tone. 

"  Are  you  going  to  try  that,  sir  ?  "  he  stammered  out 
incredulously. 

I  took  no  notice  of  him  and  raised  my  tone  just 
enough  to  be  heard  by  the  helmsman. 

"  Keep  her  good  full." 

"  Good  full,  sir." 

The  wind  fanned  my  cheek,  the  sails  slept,  the  world 
was  silent.  The  strain  of  watching  the  dark  loom  of 
the  land  grow  bigger  and  denser  was  too  much  for  me. 
I  had  shut  my  eyes  —  because  the  ship  must  go  closer. 
She  must!  The  stillness  was  intolerable.  Were  we 
standing  still  ? 

When  I  opened  my  eyes  the  second  view  started  my 
heart  with  a  thump.  The  black  southern  hill  of  Koh- 
ring  seemed  to  hang  right  over  the  ship  like  a  towering 
fragment  of  the  everlasting  night.  On  that  enormous 
mass  of  blackness  there  was  not  a  gleam  to  be  seen,  not 
a  sound  to  be  heard.  It  was  gliding  irresistibly  to- 
ward us  and  yet  seemed  already  within  reach  of  the 
hand.  I  saw  the  vague  figures  of  the  watch  grouped 
in  the  waist,  gazing  in  awed  silence. 

"  Are  you  going  on,  sir,"  inquired  an  imsteady  voice 
at  my  elbow. 


THE  SECRET  SHARER  171 

I  ignored  it.     I  had  to  go  on. 

"  Keep  her  full.  Don't  check  her  way.  That  won't 
do  now,"  I  said  wamingly. 

"  I  can't  see  the  sails  very  well,"  the  helmsman  an- 
swered me,  in  strange,  quavering  tones. 

Was  she  close  enough?  Already  she  was,  I  won't 
say  in  the  shadow  of  the  land,  but  in  the  very  blackness 
of  it,  already  swallowed  up  as  it  were,  gone  too  close 
to  be  recalled,  gone  from  me  altogether. 

"  Give  the  mate  a  call,"  I  said  to  the  young  man 
who  stood  at  my  elbow  as  still  as  death.  "  And  turn 
all  hands  up." 

My  tone  had  a  borrowed  loudness  reverberated  from 
the  height  of  the  land.  Several  voices  cried  out  to- 
gether :     "  We  are  all  on  deck,  sir." 

Then  stillness  again,  with  the  great  shadow  gliding 
closer,  towering  higher,  without  a  light,  without  a 
sound.  Such  a  hush  had  fallen  on  the  ship  that  she 
might  have  been  a  bark  of  the  dead  floating  in  slowly 
under  the  very  gate  of  Erebus. 

"  My  God !     Where  are  we  ?  " 

It  was  the  mate  moaning  at  my  elbow.  He  was 
thunderstruck,  and  as  it  were  deprived  of  the  moral 
support  of  his  whiskers.  He  clapped  his  hands  and 
absolutely  cried  out,  "  Lost !  " 

"  Be  quiet,"  I  said  sternly. 

He  lowered  his  tone,  but  I  saw  the  shadowy  gesture 
of  his  despair.     "  What  are  we  doing  here  ?  " 

"  Looking  for  the  land  wind." 


172  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

He  made  as  if  to  tear  his  hair,  and  addressed  me 
recklessly. 

"  She  will  never  get  out.  You  have  done  it,  sir. 
I  knew  it'd  end  in  something  like  this.  She  will  never 
weather,  and  you  are  too  close  now  to  stay.  She'll 
drift  ashore  before  she's  round.     O  my  God !  " 

I  caught  his  arm  as  he  was  raising  it  to  batter  his 
poor  devoted  head,  and  shook  it  violently. 

"  She's  ashore  already,"  he  wailed,  trying  to  tear 
himself  away. 

"  Is  she  ?  .  .  .  Keep  good  full  there !  " 

"  Good  full,  sir,"  cried  the  helmsman  in  a  fright- 
ened, thin,  child-like  voice. 

I  hadn't  let  go  the  mate's  arm  and  went  on  shaking 
it.  "  Keady  about,  do  you  hear  ?  You  go  forward  " 
—  shake  — "  and  stop  there  " —  shake  — "  and  hold 
your  noise  " —  shake  — "  and  see  these  head-sheets 
properly  overhauled  " —  shake,  shake  —  shake. 

And  all  the  time  I  dared  not  look  toward  the  land 
lest  my  heart  should  fail  me.  I  released  my  grip  at 
last  and  he  ran  forward  as  if  fleeing  for  dear  life. 

I  wondered  what  my  double  there  in  the  sail-locker 
thought  of  this  commotion.  He  was  able  to  hear 
everything  —  and  perhaps  he  was  able  to  understand 
why,  on  my  conscience,  it  had  to  be  thus  close  —  no 
less.  My  first  order  "  Hard  alee !  "  re-echoed  omi- 
nously under  the  towering  shadow  of  Koh-ring  as  if  I 
had  shouted  in  a  mountain  gorge.  And  then  I  watched 
the  land  intently.  In  that  smooth  water  and  light 
wind  it  was  impossible  to  feel  the  ship  coming-to.    No ! 


THE  SECEET  SHAEEK  173 

I  could  not  feel  her.  And  my  second  self  was  making 
now  ready  to  slip  out  and  lower  himself  orerboard. 
Perhaps  he  was  gone  already  .  .  .  ? 

The  great  black  mass  brooding  over  our  very  mast- 
heads began  to  pivot  away  from  the  ship's  side  silently. 
And  now  I  forgot  the  secret  stranger  ready  to  depart, 
and  remembered  only  that  I  was  a  total  stranger  to 
the  ship.  I  did  not  know  her.  Would  she  do  it  ? 
How  was  she  to  be  handled  ? 

I  swung  the  mainyard  and  waited  helplessly.  She 
was  perhaps  stopped,  and  her  very  fate  hung  in  the 
balance,  with  the  black  mass  of  Koh-ring  like  the  gate 
of  the  everlasting  night  towering  over  her  taffrail. 
What  would  she  do  now  ?  Had  she  way  on  her  yet  ?  I 
stepped  to  the  side  swiftly,  and  on  the  shadowy  water 
I  could  see  nothing  except  a  faint  phosphorescent  flash 
revealing  the  glassy  smoothness  of  the  sleeping  surface. 
It  was  impossible  to  tell  —  and  I  had  not  learned  yet 
the  feel  of  my  ship.  Was  she  moving?  What  I 
needed  was  something  easily  seen,  a  piece  of  paper, 
which  I  could  throw  overboard  and  watch.  I  had 
nothing  on  me.  To  run  down  for  it  I  didn't  dare. 
There  was  no  time.  All  at  once  my  strained,  yearning 
stare  distinguished  a  white  object  floating  within  a 
yard  of  the  ship's  side.  White  on  the  black  water.  A 
phosphorescent  flash  passed  under  it.  What  was  that 
thing  ?  .  .  .  I  recognised  my  own  floppy  hat.  It  must 
have  fallen  off  his  head  .  .  ,  and  he  didn't  bother. 
Xow  I  had  what  I  wanted  —  the  saving  mark  for  my 
eyes.     But  I  hardly  thought  of  my  other  self,  now  gone 


174  'TWIXT  LAISTD  AND  SEA 

from  the  ship,  to  he  hidden  forever  from  all  friendly- 
faces,  to  be  a  fugitive  and  a  vagabond  on  the  earth, 
with  no  brand  of  the  curse  on  his  sane  forehead  to  stay 
a  slaying  hand  .  .  .  too  proud  to  explain. 

And  I  watched  the  hat  —  the  expression  of  my  sud- 
den pity  for  his  mere  flesh.  It  had  been  meant  to  save 
his  homeless  head  from  the  dangers  of  the  sun.  And 
now  —  behold  —  it  was  saving  the  ship,  by  serving  me 
for  a  mark  to  help  out  the  ignorance  of  my  strangeness. 
Ha !  It  was  drifting  forward,  warning  me  just  in  time 
that  the  ship  had  gathered  stemway. 

"  Shift  the  helm,"  I  said  in  a  low  voice  to  the  flea- 
man  standing  still  like  a  statue. 

The  man's  eyes  glistened  wildly  in  the  binnacle  light 
as  he  jumped  round  to  the  other  side  and  spun  round 
the  wheel. 

I  walked  to  the  break  of  the  poop.  On  the  over- 
shadowed deck  all  hands  stood  by  the  forebraces  wait- 
ing for  my  order.  The  stars  ahead  seemed  to  be  glid' 
ing  from  right  to  left.  And  all  was  so  still  in  the 
world  that  I  heard  the  quiet  remark  "  She's  round," 
passed  in  a  tone  of  intense  relief  between  two  seamen. 

"  Let  go  and  haul." 

The  foreyards  ran  round  with  a  great  noise,  amidst 
cheery  cries.  And  now  the  frightful  whiskers  made 
themselves  heard  giving  various  orders.  Already  the 
ship  was  drawing  ahead.  And  I  was  alone  with  her. 
Nothing !  no  one  in  the  world  should  stand  now  between 
us,  throwing  a  shadow  on  the  way  of  silent  knowledge 


THE  SECRET  SHARER  175 

and  mute  affection,  the  perfect  communion  of  a  seaman 
with  his  first  command. 

Walking  to  the  taffrail,  I  was  in  time  to  make  out, 
on  the  very  edge  of  a  darkness  thrown  by  a  towering 
black  mass  like  the  very  gateway  of  Erebus  —  yes,  I 
was  in  time  to  catch  an  evanescent  glimpse  of  my  white 
hat  left  behind  to  mark  the  spot  where  the  secret  sharer 
of  my  cabin  and  of  my  thoughts,  as  though  he  were  my 
second  self,  had  lowered  himself  into  the  water  to  take 
his  punishment :  a  free  man,  a  proud  swimmer  striking 
out  for  a  new  destiny. 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES 
A  STOEY  OP  SHALLOW  WATEES 


m 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES 


ONE  day  —  and  that  day  was  many  years  ago  now 
—  I  received  a  long,  chatty  letter  from  one  of 
my  old  chums  and  fellow-wanderers  in  Eastern  waters. 
He  was  still  out  there,  but  settled  down,  and  middle- 
aged;  I  imagined  him  grown  portly  in  figure  and  do- 
mestic in  his  habits;  in  short,  overtaken  by  the  fate 
common  to  all  except  to  those  who,  being  specially  be- 
loved by  the  gods,  get  knocked  on  the  head  early.  The 
letter  was  of  the  reminiscent  "  do  you  remember " 
kind  —  a  wistful  letter  of  backward  glances.  And, 
amongst  other  things,  "  surely  you  remember  old  Nel- 
son," he  wrote. 

Remember  old  Nelson!  Certainly.  And  to  begin 
with,  his  name  was  not  Nelson.  The  Englishmen  in 
the  Archipelago  called  him  Nelson  because  it  was  more 
convenient,  I  suppose,  and  he  never  protested.  It 
would  have  been  mere  pedantry.  The  true  form  of 
his  name  was  Nielsen.  He  had  come  out  East  long 
before  the  advent  of  telegraph  cables,  had  served  Eng- 
lish firms,  had  married  an  English  girl,  had  been  one 
of  us  for  years,  trading  and  sailing  in  all  directions 

through  the  Eastern  Archipelago,  across  and  around, 

179 


180  'TWIXT  LAOTD  AND  SEA 

transversely,  diagonally,  perpendicularly,  in  semi- 
circles, and  zigzags,  and  figures  of  eights,  for  years  and 
years. 

There  was  no  nook  or  cranny  of  these  tropical  waters 
that  the  enterprise  of  old  Nelson  (or  Nielsen)  had  not 
penetrated  in  an  eminently  pacific  way.  His  tracks, 
if  plotted  out,  would  have  covered  the  map  of  the 
Archipelago  like  a  cobweb  —  all  of  it,  with  the  sole 
exception  of  the  Philippines.  He  would  never  ap- 
proach that  part,  from  a  strange  dread  of  Spaniards, 
or,  to  be  exact,  of  the  Spanish  authorities.  What  he 
imagined  they  could  do  to  him  it  is  impossible  to  say. 
Perhaps  at  some  time  in  his  life  he  had  read  some 
stories  of  the  Inquisition. 

But  he  was  in  general  afraid  of  what  he  called  "  au- 
thorities " ;  not  the  English  authorities,  which  he 
trusted  and  respected,  but  the  other  two  of  that  part 
of  the  world.  He  was  not  so  horrified  at  the  Dutch 
as  he  was  at  the  Spaniards,  but  he  was  even  more  mis- 
trustful of  them.  Very  mistrustful  indeed.  The 
Dutch,  in  his  view,  were  capable  of  "  playing  any  ugly 
trick  on  a  man''  who  had  the  misfortune  to  displease 
them.  There  were  their  laws  and  regulations,  but 
they  had  no  notion  of  fair  play  in  applying  them.  It 
was  really  pitiable  to  see  the  anxious  circumspection 
of  his  dealings  with  some  official  or  other,  and  remem- 
ber that  this  man  had  been  known  to  stroll  up  to  a  vil- 
lage of  cannibals  in  New  Guinea  in  a  quiet,  fearless 
manner  (and  note  that  he  was  always  fleshy  all  his  life, 
and,  if  I  may  say  so,  an  appetising  morsel)  on  some 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        181 

matter  of  barter  that  did  not  amount  perhaps  to  fifty 
pounds  in  the  end. 

Eemember  old  Nelson!  Kather!  Truly,  none  of 
us  in  my  generation  had  known  him  in  his  active  days. 
He  was  "  retired  "  in  our  time.  He  had  bought,  or 
else  leased,  part  of  a  small  island  from  the  Sultan  of 
a  little  group  called  the  Seven  Isles,  not  far  north  from 
Banka.  It  was,  I  suppose,  a  legitimate  transaction, 
but  I  have  no  doubt  that  had  he  been  an  Englishman 
the  Dutch  would  have  discovered  a  reason  to  fire  him 
out  without  ceremony.  In  this  connection  the  real 
form  of  his  name  stood  him  in  good  stead.  In  the 
character  of  an  omassuming  Dane  whose  conduct  was 
most  correct,  they  let  him  be.  With  all  his  money  en- 
gaged in  cultivation  he  was  naturally  careful  not  to 
give  even  the  shadow  of  offence,  and  it  was  mostly  for 
prudential  reasons  of  that  sort  that  he  did  not  look 
with  a  favourable  eye  on  Jasper  Allen.  But  of  that 
later.  Yes!  One  remembered  well  enough  old  Nel- 
son's big,  hospitable  bungalow  erected  on  a  shelving 
point  of  land,  his  portly  form,  costumed  generally  in 
a  white  shirt  and  trousers  (he  had  a  confirmed  habit  of 
taking  off  his  alpaca  jacket  on  the  slightest  provoca- 
tion), his  round  blue  eyes,  his  straggly,  sandy-white 
moustache  sticking  out  all  ways  like  the  quills  of  the 
fretful  porcupine,  his  propensity  to  sit  down  suddenly 
and  fan  himself  with  his  hat.  But  there's  no  use  con- 
cealing the  fact  that  what  one  remembered  really  was 
his  daughter,  who  at  that  time  came  out  to  live  with 
him  —  and  be  a  sort  of  Lady  of  the  Isles. 


182  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

Freya  Nelson  (or  Nielsen)  was  the  kind  of  girl  one 
remembers.  The  oval  of  her  face  was  perfect;  and 
within  that  fascinating  frame  the  most  happy  dispo- 
sition of  line  and  feature,  with  an  admirable  complex- 
ion, gave  an  impression  of  health,  strength,  and  what 
I  might  call  unconscious  self-confidence  —  a  most 
pleasant  and,  as  it  were,  whimsical  determination.  I 
will  not  compare  her  eyes  to  violets,  because  the  real 
shade  of  their  colour  was  peculiar,  not  so  dark  and  more 
lustrous.  They  were  of  the  wide-open  kind,  and 
looked  at  one  frankly  in  every  mood.  I  never  did  see 
the  long,  dark  eyelashes  lowered  —  I  dare  say  Jasper 
Allen  did,  being  a  privileged  person  —  but  I  have  no 
doubt  that  the  expression  must  have  been  charming  in 
a  complex  way.  She  could  —  Jasper  told  me  once 
with  a  touchingly  imbecile  exultation  —  sit  on  her 
hair.  I  dare  say,  I  dare  say.  It  was  not  for  me  to 
behold  these  wonders ;  I  was  content  to  admire  the  neat 
and  becoming  way  she  used  to  do  it  up  so  as  not  to 
conceal  the  good  shape  of  her  head.  And  this  wealth 
of  hair  was  so  glossy  that  when  the  screens  of  the  west 
verandah  were  down,  making  a  pleasant  twilight  there, 
or  in  the  shade  of  the  grove  of  fruit-trees  near  the 
house,  it  seemed  to  give  out  a  golden  light  of  its  own. 

She  dressed  generally  in  a  white  frock,  with  a  skirt 
of  walking  length,  showing  her  neat,  laced,  brown  boots. 
If  there  was  any  colour  about  her  costume  it  was  just 
a  bit  of  blue  perhaps.  No  exertion  seemed  to  distress 
her.  I  have  seen  her  land  from  the  dinghy  after  a  long 
pull  in  the  sun  (she  rowed  herself  about  a  good  deal) 


FKEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        183 

with  no  quickened  breath  and  not  a  single  hair  out  of 
its  place.  In  the  morning  when  she  came  out  on  the 
verandah  for  the  first  look  westward,  Sumatra  way, 
over  the  sea,  she  seemed  as  fresh  and  sparkling  as  a 
dewdrop.  But  a  dewdrop  is  evanescent,  and  there  was 
nothing  evanescent  about  Freja.  I  remember  her 
round,  solid  arms  with  the  fine  wrists,  and  her  broad, 
capable  hands  with  tapering  fingers. 

I  don't  know  whether  she  was  actually  born  at  sea, 
but  I  do  know  that  up  to  twelve  years  of  age  she  sailed 
about  with  her  parents  in  various  ships.  After  old 
!N^elson  lost  his  wife  it  became  a  matter  of  serious  con- 
cern for  him  what  to  do  with  the  girl.  A  kind  lady 
in  Singapore,  touched  by  his  dumb  grief  and  deplor- 
able perplexity,  offered  to  take  charge  of  Freya.  This 
arrangement  lasted  some  six  years,  during  which  old 
!N'elson  (or  Melsen)  "  retired ''  and  established  him- 
self on  his  island,  and  then  it  was  settled  (the  kind 
lady  going  away  to  Europe)  that  his  daughter  should 
join  him. 

As  the  first  and  most  important  preparation  for  that 
event  the  old  fellow  ordered  from  his  Singapore  agent 
a  Steyn  and  Ebhart's  "  upright  grand."  I  was  then 
commanding  a  little  steamer  in  the  island  trade,  and 
it  fell  to  my  lot  to  take  it  out  to  him,  so  I  know  some- 
thing of  Freya's  "upright  grand."  We  landed  the 
enormous  packing-case  with  difficulty  on  a  flat  piece 
of  rock  amongst  some  bushes,  nearly  knocking  the  bot- 
tom out  of  one  of  my  boats  in  the  course  of  that  nauti- 
cal operation.     Then,  all  my  crew  assisting,  engineers 


184  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

and  firemen  included,  by  the  exercise  of  much  anxious 
ingenuity,  and  by  means  of  rollers,  levers,  tackles, 
and  inclined  planes  of  soaped  planks,  toiling  in  the 
sun  like  ancient  Egyptians  at  the  building  of  a  pyra- 
mid, we  got  it  as  far  as  the  house  and  up  on  to  the 
edge  of  the  west  verandah  —  which  was  the  actual 
drawing-room  of  the  bungalow.  There,  the  case  being 
ripped  off  cautiously,  the  beautiful  rosewood  monster 
stood  revealed  at  last.  In  reverent  excitement  we 
coaxed  it  against  the  wall  and  drew  the  first  free  breath 
of  the  day.  It  was  certainly  the  heaviest  movable 
object  on  that  islet  since  the  creation  of  the  world. 
The  volume  of  sound  it  gave  out  in  that  bimgalow 
(which  acted  as  a  sounding-board)  was  really  astonish- 
ing. It  thundered  sweetly  right  over  the  sea.  Jasper 
Allen  told  me  that  early  of  a  morning  on  the  deck  of 
the  Bonito  (his  wonderfully  fast  and  pretty  brig)  he 
could  hear  Freya  playing  her  scales  quite  distinctly. 
But  the  fellow  always  anchored  foolishly  close  to  the 
point,  as  I  told  him  more  than  once.  Of  course,  these 
seas  are  almost  uniformly  serene,  and  the  Seven  Isles 
is  a  particularly  calm  and  cloudless  spot  as  a  rule. 
But  still,  now  and  again,  an  afternoon  thunderstorm 
over  Banka,  or  even  one  of  these  vicious  thick  squalls, 
from  the  distant  Sumatra  coast,  would  make  a  sudden 
sally  upon  the  group,  enveloping  it  for  a  couple  of 
hours  in  whirlwinds  and  bluish-black  murk  of  a  particu- 
larly sinister  aspect.  Then,  with  the  lowered  rattan- 
screens  rattling  desperately  in  the  wind  and  the  bunga- 
low shaking  all  over,  Freya  would  sit  down  to  the  piano 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        185 

and  play  fierce  Wagner  music  in  the  flicker  of  blind- 
ing flashes,  with  thunderbolts  falling  all  round,  enough 
to  make  your  hair  stand  on  end ;  and  Jasper  would  re- 
main stock  still  on  the  verandah,  adoring  the  back  view 
of  her  supple,  swaying  figure,  the  miraculous  sheen  of 
her  fair  head,  the  rapid  hands  on  the  keys,  the  white 
nape  of  her  neck  —  while  the  brig,  down  at  the  point 
there,  surged  at  her  cables  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the 
nasty,  shiny,  black  rock-heads.     Ugh! 

And  this,  if  you  please,  for  no  reason  but  that,  when 
he  went  on  board  at  night  and  laid  his  head  on  the 
pillow,  he  should  feel  that  he  was  as  near  as  he  could 
conveniently  get  to  his  Ereya  slumbering  in  the  bunga- 
low. Did  you  ever!  And,  mind,  this  brig  was  the 
home  to  be  —  their  home  —  the  floating  paradise 
which  he  was  gradually  fitting  out  like  a  yacht  to  sail 
his  life  blissfully  away  in  with  Ereya.  Imbecile! 
But  the  fellow  was  always  taking  chances. 

One  day,  I  remember  I  watched  with  Ereya  on  the 
verandah  the  brig  approaching  the  point  from  the 
northward.  I  suppose  Jasper  made  the  girl  out  with 
his  long  glass.  What  does  he  do?  Instead  of  stand- 
ing on  for  another  mile  and  a  half  along  the  shoals 
and  then  tacking  for  the  anchorage  in  a  proper  and 
seamanlike  manner,  he  spies  a  gap  between  two  dis- 
gusting old  jagged  reefs,  puts  the  hehn  down  suddenly, 
and  shoots  the  brig  through,  with  all  her  sails  shaking 
and  rattling,  so  that  we  could  hear  the  racket  on  the 
verandah.  I  drew  my  breath  through  my  teeth,  I  can 
tell  you,  and  Ereya  swore.     Yes!     She  clenched  her 


186  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

capable  fists  and  stamped  with  her  pretty  brown  boot 
and  said  "  Damn  I  "  Then,  looking  at  me  with  a  little 
heightened  colour  —  not  much  —  she  remarked,  "  I 
forgot  you  were  there,"  and  laughed.  To  be  sure,  to 
be  sure.  When  Jasper  was  in  sight  she  was  not  likely 
to  remember  that  anybody  else  in  the  world  was  there. 
In  my  concern  at  this  mad  trick  I  couldn't  help  appeal- 
ing to  her  sympathetic  common  sense. 

"  Isn't  he  a  fool  ? "  I  said  with  feeling. 

**  Perfect  idiot,"  she  agreed  warmly,  looking  at  me 
straight  with  her  wide-open,  earnest  eyes  and  the  dim- 
ple of  a  smile  on  her  cheek. 

"  And  that,"  I  pointed  out  to  her,  "  just  to  save 
twenty  minutes  or  so  in  meeting  you." 

We  heard  the  anchor  go  down,  and  then  she  became 
very  resolute  and  threatening. 

"  Wait  a  bit.     I'll  teach  him." 

She  went  into  her  own  room  and  shut  the  door, 
leaving  me  alone  on  the  verandah  with  my  instructions. 
Long  before  the  brig's  sails  were  furled,  Jasper  came 
up  three  steps  at  a  time,  forgetting  to  say  how  d'ye  do, 
and  looking  right  and  left  eagerly. 

"  Where's  Freya  ?     Wasn't  she  here  just  now  ?  " 

When  I  explained  to  him  that  he  was  to  be  deprived 
of  Miss  Freya's  presence  for  a  whole  hour,  "  just  to 
teach  him,"  he  said  I  had  put  her  up  to  it,  no  doubt, 
and  that  he  feared  he  would  have  yet  to  shoot  me  some 
day.  She  and  I  were  getting  too  thick  together.  Then 
he  flung  himself  into  a  chair,  and  tried  to  talk  to  me 
about  his  trip.     But  the  funny  thing  was  that  the  fel- 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        187 

low  actually  suffered.  I  could  see  it.  His  voice  failed 
him,  and  lie  sat  there  dumb,  looking  at  the  door  with 
the  face  of  a  man  in  pain.  Fact.  .  .  .  And  the  next 
still  funnier  thing  was  that  the  girl  calmly  walked  out 
of  her  room  in  less  than  ten  minutes.  And  then  I  left. 
I  mean  to  say  that  I  went  away  to  seek  old  Nelson  (or 
Nielsen)  on  the  back  verandah,  which  was  his  own  spe- 
cial nook  in  the  distribution  of  that  house,  with  the  kind 
purpose  of  engaging  him  in  conversation  lest  he  should 
start  roaming  about  and  intrude  unwittingly  where  he 
was  not  wanted  just  then. 

He  knew  that  the  brig  had  arrived,  though  he  did 
not  know  that  Jasper  was  already  with  his  daughter. 
I  suppose  he  didn't  think  it  was  possible  in  the  time. 
A  father  naturally  wouldn't.  He  suspected  that  Allen 
was  sweet  on  his  girl;  the  fowls  of  the  air  and  the 
fishes  of  the  sea,  most  of  the  traders  in  the  Archipelago, 
and  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men  in  the  town  of 
Singapore  were  aware  of  it.  But  he  was  not  capable 
of  appreciating  how  far  the  girl  was  gone  on  the  fellow. 
He  had  an  idea  that  Freya  was  too  sensible  to  ever  be 
gone  on  anybody  —  I  mean  to  an  unmanageable  ex- 
tent. No;  it  was  not  that  which  made  him  sit  on  the 
back  verandah  and  worry  himself  in  his  unassuming 
manner  during  Jasper's  visits.  What  he  worried 
about  were  the  Dutch  "  authorities."  For  it  is  a  fact 
that  the  Dutch  looked  askance  at  the  doings  of  Jasper 
Allen,  owner  and  master  of  the  brig  Bonito.  They 
considered  him  much  too  enterprising  in  his  trading. 
I  don't  know  that  he  ever  did  anything  illegal;  but  it 


188  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

seems  to  me  that  his  immense  activity  was  repulsive  to 
their  stolid  character  and  slow-going  methods.  Any- 
way, in  old  Nelson's  opinion,  the  captain  of  the  Bonito 
was  a  smart  sailor,  and  a  nice  young  man,  but  not  a 
desirable  acquaintance  upon  the  whole.  Somewhat 
compromising,  you  understand.  On  the  other  hand, 
he  did  not  like  to  tell  Jasper  in  so  many  words  to  keep 
away.  Poor  old  Nelson  himself  was  a  nice  fellow.  I 
believe  he  would  have  shrunk  from  hurting  the  feel- 
ings even  of  a  mop-headed  cannibal,  unless,  perhaps, 
under  very  strong  provocation.  I  mean  the  feelings, 
not  the  bodies.  As  against  spears,  knives,  hatchets, 
clubs,  or  arrows,  old  Nelson  had  proved  himself  capable 
of  taking  his  own  part.  In  every  other  respect  he  had 
a  timorous  soul.  So  he  sat  on  the  back  verandah  with 
a  concerned  expression,  and  whenever  the  voices  of  his 
daughter  and  Jasper  Allen  reached  him,  he  would  blow 
out  his  cheeks  and  let  the  air  escape  with  a  dismal 
sound,  like  a  much  tried  man. 

Naturally  I  derided  his  fears  which  he,  more  or  less, 
confided  to  me.  He  had  a  certain  regard  for  my 
judgment,  and  a  certain  respect,  not  for  my  moral 
qualities,  however,  but  for  the  good  terms  I  was  sup- 
posed to  be  on  with  the  Dutch  "  authorities."  I  knew 
for  a  fact  that  his  greatest  bugbear,  the  Governor  of 
Banka  —  a  charming,  peppery,  hearty,  retired  rear- 
admiral —  had  a  distinct  liking  for  him.  This  con- 
soling assurance  which  I  used  always  to  put  forward, 
made  old  Nelson  (or  Nielsen)  brighten  up  for  a  mo- 
ment; but  in  the  end  he  would  shake  his  head  doubt- 


FKEYA  OF  THE  SEVEIST  ISLES         189 

fully,  as  much  as  to  say  that  this  was  all  rery  well,  but 
that  there  were  depths  in  the  Dutch  official  nature 
which  no  one  but  himself  had  ever  fathomed.  Per- 
fectly ridiculous. 

On  this  occasion  I  am  speaking  of,  old  ^tsTelson  was 
even  fretty;  for  while  I  was  trying  to  entertain  him 
with  a  very  funny  and  somewhat  scandalous  adventure 
which  happened  to  a  certain  acquaintance  of  ours  in 
Saigon,  he  exclaimed  suddenly: 

"  What  the  devil  he  wants  to  turn  up  here  for !  " 

Clearly  he  had  not  heard  a  word  of  the  anecdote. 
And  this  annoyed  me^  because  the  anecdote  was  really 
good.     I  stared  at  him. 

"  Come,  come !  "  I  cried.  "  Don't  you  know  what 
Jasper  Allen  is  turning  up  here  for  ?  " 

This  was  the  first  open  allusion  I  had  ever  made  to 
the  true  state  of  affairs  between  Jasper  and  his  daugh- 
ter.    He  took  it  very  calmly. 

"  Oh,  Freya  is  a  sensible  girl  I  "  he  murmured  ab- 
sently, his  mind's  eye  obviously  fixed  on  the  "  author- 
ities." No;  Freya  was  no  fool.  He  was  not  con- 
cerned about  that.  He  didn't  mind  it  in  the  least. 
The  fellow  was  just  company  for  her;  he  amused  the 
girl;  nothing  more. 

When  the  perspicacious  old  chap  left  off  mumbling, 
all  was  still  in  the  house.  The  other  two  were  amusing 
themselves  very  quietly,  and  no  doubt  very  heartily. 
What  more  absorbing  and  less  noisy  amusement  could 
they  have  found  than  to  plan  their  future?  Side  by 
side  on  the  verandah  they  must  have  been  looking  at 


190  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

the  brig,  the  third  party  in  that  fascinating  game. 
Without  her  there  would  have  been  no  future.  She 
was  the  fortune  and  the  home,  and  the  great  free  world 
for  them.  Who  was  it  that  likened  a  ship  to  a  prison  ? 
May  I  be  ignominiously  hanged  at  a  yardarm  if  that's 
true.  The  white  sails  of  that  craft  were  the  white 
wings  —  pinions,  I  believe,  would  be  the  more  poetical 
style  —  well,  the  white  pinions,  of  their  soaring  love. 
Soaring  as  regards  Jasper.  Freya,  being  a  woman, 
kept  a  better  hold  of  the  mundane  connections  of  this 
affair. 

But  Jasper  was  elevated  in  the  true  sense  of  the 
word  ever  since  the  day  when,  after  they  had  been 
gazing  at  the  brig  in  one  of  those  decisive  silences 
that  alone  establish  a  perfect  communion  between 
creatures  gifted  with  speech,  he  proposed  that  she 
should  share  the  ownership  of  that  treasure  with  him. 
Indeed,  he  presented  the  brig  to  her  altogether.  But 
then  his  heart  was  in  the  brig  since  the  day  he  bought 
her  in  Manilla  from  a  certain  middle-aged  Peruvian, 
in  a  sober  suit  of  black  broadcloth,  enigmatic  and 
sententious,  who,  for  all  I  know,  might  have  stolen 
her  on  the  South  American  coast,  whence  he  said  he 
had  come  over  to  the  Philippines  "  for  family  rea- 
sons." This  "  for  family  reasons "  was  distinctly 
good.  No  true  cdballero  would  care  to  push  on  in- 
quiries after  such  a  statement. 

Indeed,  Jasper  was  quite  the  cdballero.  The  brig 
herself  was  then  all  black  and  enigmatical,  and  very 
dirty;  a  tarnished  gem  of  the  sea,  or,  rather,  a  neg- 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        191 

lected  work  of  art.  For  he  must  have  been  an  artist, 
the  obscure  builder  who  had  put  her  body  together  on 
lovely  lines  out  of  the  hardest  tropical  timber  fastened 
with  the  purest  copper.  Goodness  only  knows  in  what 
part  of  the  world  she  was  built.  Jasper  himself  had 
not  been  able  to  ascertain  much  of  her  history  from 
his  sententious,  saturnine  Peruvian  —  if  the  fellow  was 
a  Peruvian,  and  not  the  devil  himself  in  disguise,  as 
Jasper  jocularly  pretended  to  believe.  My  opinion  is 
that  she  was  old  enough  to  have  been  one  of  the  last 
pirates,  a  slaver  perhaps,  or  else  an  opium  clipper  of 
the  early  days,  if  not  an  opium  smuggler. 

However  that  may  be,  she  was  as  sound  as  on  the 
day  she  first  took  the  water,  sailed  like  a  witch,  steered 
like  a  little  boat,  and,  like  some  fair  women  of  ad- 
venturous life  famous  in  history,  seemed  to  have  the 
secret  of  perpetual  youth;  so  that  there  was  nothing 
unnatural  in  Jasper  Allen  treating  her  like  a  lover. 
And  that  treatment  restored  the  lustre  of  her  beauty. 
He  clothed  her  in  many  coats  of  the  very  best  white 
paint  so  skilfully,  carefully,  artistically  put  on  and  kept 
clean  by  his  badgered  crew  of  picked  Malays,  that  no 
costly  enamel  such  as  jewellers  use  for  their  work 
could  have  looked  better  and  felt  smoother  to  the  touch. 
A  narrow  gilt  moulding  defined  her  elegant  sheer  as 
she  sat  on  the  water,  eclipsing  easily  the  professional 
good  looks  of  any  pleasure  yacht  that  ever  came  to  the 
East  in  those  days.  For  myself,  I  must  say  I  prefer  a 
moulding  of  deep  crimson  colour  on  a  white  hull.  It 
gives  a  stronger  relief  besides  being  less  expensive ;  and 


192  'TWIXT  LAOT)  AND  SEA 

I  told  Jasper  so.  But  no,  nothing  less  than  the  best 
gold-leaf  would  do,  because  no  decoration  could  be  gor- 
geous enough  for  the  future  abode  of  his  Ereya. 

His  feelings  for  the  brig  and  for  the  girl  were  as  in- 
dissolubly  united  in  his  heart  as  you  may  fuse  two 
precious  metals  together  in  one  crucible.  And  the 
flame  was  pretty  hot,  I  can  assure  you.  It  induced 
in  him  a  fierce  inward  restlessness  both  of  activity  and 
desire.  Too  fine  in  face,  with  a  lateral  wave  in  his 
chestnut  hair,  spare,  long-limbed,  with  an  eager  glint 
in  his  steely  eyes  and  quick,  brusque  movements,  he 
made  me  think  sometimes  of  a  flashing  sword-blade 
perpetually  leaping  out  of  the  scabbard.  It  was  only 
when  he  was  near  the  girl,  when  he  had  her  there  to 
look  at,  that  this  peculiarly  tense  attitude  was  replaced 
by  a  grave  devout  watchfulness  of  her  slightest  move- 
ments and  utterances.  Her  cool,  resolute,  capable, 
good-humoured  self-possession  seemed  to  steady  his 
heart.  Was  it  the  magic  of  her  face,  of  her  voice,  of 
her  glances  which  calmed  him  so  ?  Yet  these  were  the 
very  things  one  must  believe  which  had  set  his  imagina- 
tion ablaze  —  if  love  begins  in  imagination.  But  I  am 
no  man  to  discuss  such  mysteries,  and  it  strikes  me 
that  we  have  neglected  poor  old  ^N'elson  inflating  his 
cheeks  in  a  state  of  worry  on  the  back  verandah. 

I  pointed  out  to  him  that,  after  all,  Jasper  was  not  a 
very  frequent  visitor.  He  and  his  brig  worked  hard 
all  over  the  Archipelago.  But  all  old  ISTelson  said,  and 
he  said  it  uneasily,  was : 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        103 

"  I  hope  Heemskirk  won't  turn  up  here  while  the 
brig's  about." 

Getting  up  a  scare  about  Heemskirk  now!  Heems- 
kirk !  .  .  .  Really,  one  hadn't  the  patience 


II 

FoB^  pray,  who  was  Heemskirk?  You  shall  see  at 
once  how  unreasonable  this  dread  of  Heemskirk.  .  .  . 
Certainly,  his  nature  was  malevolent  enough.  That 
was  obvious,  directly  you  heard  him  laugh.  Nothing 
gives  away  more  a  man's  secret  disposition  than  the 
unguarded  ring  of  his  laugh.  But,  bless  my  soul!  if 
we  were  to  start  at  every  evil  guffaw  like  a  hare  at 
every  sound,  we  shouldn't  be  fit  for  anything  but  the 
solitude  of  the  desert,  or  the  seclusion  of  a  hermitage. 
And  even  there  we  should  have  to  put  up  with  the  un- 
avoidable company  of  the  devil. 

However,  the  devil  is  a  considerable  personage,  who 
has  known  better  days  and  has  moved  high  up  in  the 
hierarchy  of  Celestial  Host;  but  in  the  hierarchy  of 
mere  earthly  Dutchmen,  Heemskirk,  whose  early  days 
could  not  have  been  very  splendid,  was  merely  a  naval 
officer  forty  years  of  age,  of  no  particular  connections 
or  ability  to  boast  of.  He  was  commanding  the 
Neptun,  a  little  gunboat  employed  on  dreary  patrol 
duty  up  and  down  the  Archipelago,  to  look  after  the 
traders.  Not  a  very  exalted  position  truly.  I  tell 
you,  just  a  common  middle-aged  lieutenant  of  some 


194  'TWIXT  LAND  AISTD  SEA 

twenty-five  years'  service  and  sure  to  be  retired  before 
long  —  that's  all. 

He  never  bothered  his  head  very  much  as  to  what 
was  going  on  in  the  Seven  Isles  group  till  he  learned 
from  some  talk  in  Mintok  or  Palembang,  I  suppose, 
that  there  was  a  pretty  girl  living  there.  Curiosity,  I 
presume,  caused  him  to  go  poking  around  that  way,  and 
then,  after  he  had  once  seen  Freya,  he  made  a  practice 
of  calling  at  the  group  whenever  he  found  himself 
within  half  a  day's  steaming  from  it, 

I  don't  mean  to  say  that  Heemskirk  was  a  typical 
Dutch  naval  officer.  I  have  seen  enough  of  them  not 
to  fall  into  that  absurd  mistake.  He  had  a  big,  clean- 
shaven face;  great  flat,  brown  cheeks,  with  a  thin, 
hooked  nose  and  a  small,  pursy  mouth  squeezed  in  be- 
tween. There  were  a  few  silver  threads  in  his  black 
hair,  and  his  unpleasant  eyes  were  nearly  black,  too. 
He  had  a  surly  way  of  casting  side  glances  without 
moving  his  head,  which  was  set  low  on  a  short,  round 
neck.  A  thick,  round  trunk  in  a  dark  undress  jacket 
with  gold  shoulder-straps,  was  sustained  by  a  straddly 
pair  of  thick,  round  legs,  in  white  drill  trousers.  His 
round  skull  under  a  white  cap  looked  as  if  it  were  im- 
mensely thick  too,  but  there  were  brains  enough  in  it 
to  discover  and  take  advantage  maliciously  of  poor  old 
"Nelson's  nervousness  before  everything  that  was  in- 
vested with  the  merest  shred  of  authority. 

Heemskirk  would  land  on  the  point  and  perambulate 
silently  every  part  of  the  plantation  as  if  the  whole 
place  belonged  to  him,  before  he  went  to  the  house. 


TEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        195 

On  the  verandah  he  would  take  the  best  chair,  and 
would  stay  for  tiffin  or  dinner,  just  simply  stay  on, 
without  taking  the  trouble  to  invite  himself  by  so  much 
as  a  word. 

He  ought  to  have  been  kicked,  if  only  for  his  manner 
to  Miss  Freya.  Had  he  been  a  naked  savage,  armed 
with  spears  and  poisoned  arrows,  old  Nelson  (or  Niel- 
sen) would  have  gone  for  him  with  his  bare  fists.  But 
these  gold  shoulder-straps  —  Dutch  shoulder-straps  at 
that  —  were  enough  to  terrify  the  old  fellow ;  so  he  let 
the  beggar  treat  him  with  heavy  contempt,  devour  his 
daughter  with  his  eyes,  and  drink  the  best  part  of  his 
little  stock  of  wine. 

I  saw  something  of  this,  and  on  one  occasion  I  tried 
to  pass  a  remark  on  the  subject.  It  was  pitiable  to 
see  the  trouble  in  old  Nelson^s  round  eyes.  At  first 
he  cried  out  that  the  lieutenant  was  a  good  friend  of 
his;  a  very  good  fellow.  I  went  on  staring  at  him 
pretty  hard,  so  that  at  last  he  faltered,  and  had  to 
own  that,  of  course,  Heemskirk  was  not  a  very  genial 
person  outwardly,  but  all  the  same  at  bottom.  .  .  . 

"  I  haven't  yet  met  a  genial  Dutchman  out  here," 
I  interrupted.  "  Geniality,  after  all,  is  not  of  much 
consequence,  but  don't  you  see " 

Nelson  looked  suddenly  so  frightened  at  what  I  was 
going  to  say  that  I  hadn't  the  heart  to  go  on.  Of 
course,  I  was  going  to  tell  him  that  the  fellow  was 
after  his  girl.  That  just  describes  it  exactly.  What 
Heemskirk  might  have  expected  or  what  he  thought 
he  could  do,  I  don't  know.     For  all  I  can  tell,  he  might 


196  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

have  imagined  himself  irresistible,  or  have  taken  Freya 
for  what  she  was  not,  on  account  of  her  lively,  as- 
sured, unconstrained  manner.  But  there  it  is.  He 
was  after  that  girl.  Nelson  could  see  it  well  enough. 
Only  he  preferred  to  ignore  it.  He  did  not  want  to  be 
told  of  it. 

"All  I  want  is  to  live  in  peace  and  quietness  with 
the  Dutch  authorities,"  he  mumbled  shamefacedly. 

He  was  incurable.  I  was  sorry  for  him,  and  I  really 
think  Miss  Freya  was  sorry  for  her  father,  too.  She 
restrained  herself  for  his  sake,  and  as  everything  she 
did  she  did  it  simply,  unaffectedly,  and  even  good 
humouredly.  No  small  effort  that,  because  in  Heems- 
kirk's  attentions  there  was  an  insolent  touch  of  scorn, 
hard  to  put  up  with.  Dutchmen  of  that  sort  are  over- 
bearing to  their  inferiors,  and  that  officer  of  the  king 
looked  upon  old  Nelson  and  Freya  as  quite  beneath 
him  in  every  way. 

I  can't  say  I  felt  sorry  for  Freya.  She  was  not  the 
sort  of  girl  to  take  anything  tragically.  One  could  feel 
for  her  and  sympathise  with  her  difficulty,  but  she 
seemed  equal  to  any  situation.  It  was  rather  admira- 
tion she  extorted  by  her  competent  serenity.  It  was 
only  when  Jasper  and  Heemskirk  were  together  at  the 
bungalow,  as  it  happened  now  and  then,  that  she  felt 
the  strain,  and  even  then  it  was  not  for  everybody  to 
see.  My  eyes  alone  could  detect  a  faint  shadow  on 
the  radiance  of  her  personality.  Once  I  could  not 
help  saying  to  her  appreciatively : 

"  Upon  my  word  you  are  wonderfuL'' 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVE:^  ISLES        197 

She  let  it  pass  with  a  faint  smile. 

"  The  great  thing  is  to  prevent  Jasper  becoming  un- 
reasonable," she  said;  and  I  could  see  real  concern 
lurking  in  the  quiet  depths  of  her  frank  ejes  gazing 
straight  at  me.  "  You  will  help  to  keep  him  quiet, 
won't  you  ? " 

"  Of  course,  we  must  keep  him  quiet,"  I  declared, 
understanding  very  well  the  nature  of  her  anxiety. 
"  He's  such  a  lunatic,  too,  when  he's  roused." 

"  He  is !  "  she  assented,  in  a  soft  tone ;  for  it  was 
our  joke  to  speak  of  Jasper  abusively.  "  But  I  have 
tamed  him  a  bit.     He's  quite  a  good  boy  now." 

"  He  would  squash  Heemskirk  like  a  blackbeetle  all 
the  same,"  I  remarked. 

"  Rather !  "  she  murmured.  "  And  that  wouldn't 
do,"  she  added  quickly.  "  Imagine  the  state  poor 
papa  would  get  into.  Besides,  I  mean  to  be  mistress  of 
the  dear  brig  and  sail  about  these  seas,  not  go  off 
wandering  ten  thousand  miles  away  from  here." 

"  The  sooner  you  are  on  board  to  look  after  the  man 
and  the  brig  the  better,"  I  said  seriously.  "  They 
need  you  to  steady  them  both  a  bit.  I  don't  think 
Jasper  will  ever  get  sobered  do%vn  till  he  has  carried 
you  off  from  this  island.  You  don't  see  him  when  he 
is  away  from  you,  as  I  do.  He's  in  a  state  of  perpetual 
elation  which  almost  frightens  me." 

At  this  she  smiled  again,  and  then  looked  serious. 
For  it  could  not  be  unpleasant  to  her  to  be  told  of 
her  power,  and  she  had  some  sense  of  her  responsibility. 
She  slipped  away  from  me  suddenly,  because  Heems- 


198  'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

kirk,  with  old  N^elson  in  attendance  at  his  elbow,  was 
coming  np  the  steps  of  the  verandah.  Directly  his 
head  came  above  the  level  of  the  floor  his  ill-natured 
black  eyes  shot  glances  here  and  there. 

"  Where's  your  girl,  Nelson  ? "  he  asked,  in  a  tone 
as  if  every  soul  in  the  world  belonged  to  him.  And 
then  to  me :    "  The  goddess  has  flown,  eh  ?  " 

Nelson's  Cove  —  as  we  used  to  call  it  —  was 
crowded  with  shipping  that  day.  There  was  first  my 
steamer,  then  the  Neptun  gunboat  further  out,  and  the 
Bonito,  brig,  anchored  as  usual  so  close  inshore  that  it 
looked  as  if,  with  a  little  skill  and  judgment,  one 
could  shy  a  hat  from  the  verandah  on  to  her  scrupu- 
lously holystoned  quarter-deck.  Her  brasses  flashed 
like  gold,  her  white  body-paint  had  a  sheen  like  a  satin 
robe.  The  rake  of  her  varnished  spars  and  the  big 
yards,  squared  to  a  hair,  gave  her  a  sort  of  martial  ele- 
gance. She  was  a  beauty.  No  wonder  that  in  pos- 
session of  a  craft  like  that  and  the  promise  of  a  girl 
like  Freya,  Jasper  lived  in  a  state  of  perpetual  elation 
fit,  perhaps,  for  the  seventh  heaven,  but  not  exactly 
safe  in  a  world  like  ours. 

I  remarked  politely  to  Heemskirk  that,  with  three 
guests  in  the  house.  Miss  Freya  had  no  doubt  domestic 
matters  to  attend  to.  I  knew,  of  course,  that  she  had 
gone  to  meet  Jasper  at  a  certain  cleared  spot  on  the 
banks  of  the  only  stream  on  Nelson's  little  island. 
The  commander  of  the  Neptun  gave  me  a  dubious 
black  look,  and  began  to  make  himself  at  home,  fling- 
ing his  thick,  cylindrical  carcass  into  a  rocking-chair, 


i 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        199 

and  unbuttoning  his  coat.  Old  Nelson  sat  down  op- 
posite him  in  a  most  unassuming  manner,  staring  anx- 
iously with  his  round  eyes  and  fanning  himself  wdth 
his  hat.  I  tried  to  make  conversation  to  while  the 
time  away ;  not  an  easy  task  with  a  morose,  enamoured 
Dutchman  constantly  looking  from  one  door  to  an- 
other and  answering  one's  advances  either  with  a  jeer 
or  a  grunt. 

However,  the  evening  passed  off  all  right.  Luckily, 
there  is  a  degree  of  bliss  too  intense  for  elation.  Jasper 
was  quiet  and  concentrated  silently  in  watching  Freya. 
As  we  went  on  board  our  respective  ships  I  offered  to 
give  his  brig  a  tow  out  next  morning.  I  did  it  on  pur- 
pose to  get  him  away  at  the  earliest  possible  moment. 
So  in  the  first  cold  light  of  the  dawn  we  passed  by 
the  gunboat  lying  black  and  still  without  a  sound  in 
her  at  the  mouth  of  the  glassy  cove.  But  with  tropical 
swiftness  the  sun  had  climbed  twice  its  diameter 
above  the  horizon  before  we  had  rounded  the  reef  and 
got  abreast  of  the  point.  On  the  biggest  boulder  there 
stood  Freya,  all  in  white  and,  in  her  helmet,  like  a 
feminine  and  martial  statue  with  a  rosy  face,  as  I  could 
see  very  well  with  my  glasses.  She  fluttered  an  ex- 
pressive handkerchief,  and  Jasper,  running  up  the 
main  rigging  of  the  white  and  warlike  brig,  waved  his 
hat  in  response.  Shortly  afterwards  we  parted,  I  to 
the  northward  and  Jasper  heading  east  with  a  light 
wind  on  the  quarter,  for  Banjermassin  and  two  other 
ports,  I  believe  it  was,  that  trip. 

This  peaceful  occasion  was  the  last  on  which  I  saw 


200  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

all  these  people  assembled  together;  the  charmingly 
fresh  and  resolute  Freya,  the  innocently  round-eyed  old 
Nelson,  Jasper,  keen,  long  limbed,  lean  faced,  ad- 
mirably self-contained,  in  his  manner,  because  incon- 
ceivably happy  under  the  eyes  of  his  Freya;  all  three 
tall,  fair,  and  blue-eyed  in  varied  shades,  and  amongst 
them  the  swarthy,  arrogant,  black-haired  Dutchman, 
shorter  nearly  by  a  head,  and  so  much  thicker  than 
any  of  them  that  he  seemed  to  be  a  creature  capable  of 
inflating  itself,  a  grotesque  specimen  of  mankind  from 
some  other  planet. 

The  contrast  struck  me  all  at  once  as  we  stood  in  the 
lighted  verandah,  after  rising  from  the  dinner-table. 
I  was  fascinated  by  it  for  the  rest  of  the  evening,  and 
I  remember  the  impression  of  something  funny  and  ill- 
omened  at  the  same  time  in  it  to  this  day. 


Ill 

A  FEW  weeks  later,  coming  early  one  morning  into 
Singapore,  from  a  journey  to  the  southward,  I  saw  the 
brig  lying  at  anchor  in  all  her  usual  symmetry  and 
splendour  of  aspect  as  though  she  had  been  taken  out 
of  a  glass  case  and  put  delicately  into  the  water  that 
very  moment. 

She  was  well  out  in  the  roadstead,  but  I  steamed  in 
and  took  up  my  habitual  berth  close  in  front  of  the 
town.  Before  we  had  finished  breakfast  a  quarter- 
master came  to  tell  me  that  Captain  Allen's  boat  was 
coming  our  way. 


FEEYA  or  THE  SEVEN  ISLES         201 

His  smart  gig  dashed  alongside,  and  in  two  bounds 
he  was  up  our  accommodation-ladder  and  shaking  me 
by  the  hand  with  his  nervous  grip,  his  eyes  snapping 
inquisitively,  for  he  supposed  I  had  called  at  the  Seven 
Isles  group  on  my  way.  I  reached  into  my  pocket  for 
a  nicely  folded  little  note,  which  he  grabbed  out  of  my 
hand  without  ceremony  and  carried  off  on  the  bridge 
to  read  by  himself.  After  a  decent  interval  I  fol- 
lowed him  up  there,  and  f oimd  him  pacing  to  and  fro ; 
for  the  nature  of  his  emotions  made  him  restless  even 
in  his  most  thoughtful  moments. 

He  shook  his  head  at  me  triumphantly. 

"  Well,  my  dear  boy,"  he  said,  "  I  shall  be  counting 
the  days  now." 

I  understood  what  he  meant.  I  knew  that  those 
young  people  had  settled  already  on  a  runaway  match 
without  official  preliminaries.  This  was  really  a 
logical  decision.  Old  Nelson  (or  Neilsen)  would 
never  have  agreed  to  give  up  Freya  peaceably  to  this 
compromising  Jasper.  Heavens!  What  would  the 
Dutch  authorities  say  to  such  a  match !  It  sounds  too 
ridiculous  for  words.  But  there's  nothing  in  the  world 
more  selfishly  hard  than  a  timorous  man  in  a  fright 
about  his  "  little  estate,"  as  old  Nelson  used  to  call  it 
in  apologetic  accents.  A  heart  permeated  by  a  par- 
ticular sort  of  funk  is  proof  against  sense,  feeling,  and 
ridicule.     It's  a  flint. 

Jasper  would  have  made  his  request  all  the  same 
and  then  taken  his  own  way;  but  it  was  Freya  who 
decided  that  nothing  should  be  said,  on  the  ground  that, 


202  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

"  Papa  would  only  worry  himself  to  distraction."  He 
was  capable  of  making  himself  ill,  and  then  she 
wouldn't  have  the  heart  to  leave  him.  Here  you  have 
the  sanity  of  feminine  outlook  and  the  frankness  of 
feminine  reasoning.  And  for  the  rest,  Miss  Freya 
could  read  "  poor  dear  papa  "  in  the  way  a  woman 
reads  a  man  —  like  an  open  book.  His  daughter  once 
gone,  old  Nelson  would  not  worry  himself.  He  would 
raise  a  great  outcry,  and  make  no  end  of  lamentable 
fuss,  but  that's  not  the  same  thing.  The  real  agonies 
of  indecision,  the  anguish  of  conflicting  feelings  would 
be  spared  to  him.  And  as  he  was  too  unassuming  to 
rage,  he  would,  after  a  period  of  lamentation,  devote 
himself  to  his  "  little  estate,"  and  to  keeping  on  good 
terms  with  the  authorities. 

Time  would  do  the  rest.  And  Freya  thought  she 
could  afford  to  wait,  while  ruling  over  her  own  home 
in  the  beautiful  brig  and  over  the  man  who  loved  her. 
This  was  the  life  for  her  who  had  learned  to  walk  on  a 
ship's  deck.  She  was  a  ship-child,  a  sea-girl  if  ever 
there  was  one.  And  of  course  she  loved  Jasper  and 
trusted  him;  but  there  was  a  shade  of  anxiety  in  her 
pride.  It  is  very  fine  and  romantic  to  possess  for  your 
very  own  a  finely  tempered  and  trusty  sword-blade,  but 
whether  it  is  the  best  weapon  to  counter  with  the 
common  cudgel-play  of  Fate  —  that's  another  question. 

She  knew  that  she  had  the  more  substance  of  the 
two  —  you  needn't  try  any  cheap  jokes,  I  am  not  talk- 
ing of  their  weights.  She  was  just  a  little  anxious 
while  he  was  away,  and  she  had  me  who,  being  a  tried 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        203 

confidant,  took  the  liberty  to  whisper  frequently  "  The 
sooner  the  better."  But  there  was  a  peculiar  vein  of 
obstinacy  in  Miss  Freya,  and  her  reason  for  delay  was 
characteristic.  "  Not  before  my  twenty-first  birthday ; 
so  that  there  shall  be  no  mistake  in  people^s  minds  as 
to  me  being  old  enough  to  know  what  I  am  doing." 

Jasper's  feelings  were  in  such  subjection  that  he  had 
never  even  remonstrated  against  the  decree.  She  was 
just  splendid,  whatever  she  did  or  said,  and  there  was 
an  end  of  it  for  him.  I  believe  that  he  was  subtle 
enough  to  be  even  flattered  at  bottom  —  at  times.  And 
then  to  console  him  he  had  the  brig  which  seemed  per- 
vaded by  the  spirit  of  Freya,  since  whatever  he  did  on 
board  was  always  done  under  the  supreme  sanction  of 
his  love. 

"  Yes.  I'll  soon  begin  to  count  the  days,"  he  re- 
peated. "  Eleven  months  more.  I'll  have  to  crowd 
three  trips  into  that." 

"  Mind  you  don't  come  to  grief  trying  to  do  too 
much,"  I  admonished  him.  But  he  dismissed  my 
caution  with  a  laugh  and  an  elated  gesture.  Pooh  I 
Nothing,  nothing  could  happen  to  the  brig,  he  cried, 
as  if  the  flame  of  his  heart  could  light  up  the  dark 
nights  of  uncharted  seas,  and  the  image  of  Freya  serve 
for  an  unerring  beacon  amongst  hidden  shoals ;  as  if  the 
winds  had  to  wait  on  his  future,  the  stars  fight  for  it 
in  their  courses ;  as  if  the  magic  of  his  passion  had  the 
power  to  float  a  ship  on  a  drop  of  dew  or  sail  her 
through  the  eye  of  a  needle  —  simply  because  it  was 
her  magnificent  lot  to  be  the  servant  of  a  love  so  full 


204  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

of  grace  as  to  make  all  the  ways  of  the  earth  safe,  re- 
splendent, and  easy. 

"  I  suppose,"  I  said,  after  he  had  finished  laughing 
at  my  innocent  enough  remark,  "  I  suppose  you  will  be 
off  to-day." 

That  was  what  he  meant  to  do.  He  had  not  gone 
at  daylight  only  because  he  expected  me  to  come  in. 

"  And  only  fancy  what  has  happened  yesterday," 
he  went  on.  "  My  mate  left  me  suddenly.  Had  to. 
And  as  there's  nobody  to  be  found  at  a  short  notice  I 
am  going  to  take  Schultz  with  me.  The  notorious 
Schultz!  Why  don't  you  jump  out  of  your  skin?  I 
tell  you  I  went  and  unearthed  Schultz  late  last  even- 
ing, after  no  end  of  trouble.  '  I  am  your  man,  cap- 
tain,' he  says,  in  that  wonderful  voice  of  his,  '  but  I  am 
sorry  to  confess  I  have  practically  no  clothes  to  my 
back.  I  have  had  to  sell  all  my  wardrobe  to  get  a 
little  food  from  day  to  day.'  What  a  voice  that  man 
has  got.  Talk  about  moving  stones !  But  people  seem 
to  get  used  to  it.  I  had  never  seen  him  before,  and, 
upon  my  word,  I  felt  suddenly  tears  rising  to  my  eyes. 
Luckily  it  Was  dusk.  He  was  sitting  very  quiet  under 
a  tree  in  a  native  compound  as  thin  as  a  lath,  and  when 
1  peered  down  at  him  all  he  had  on  was  an  old  cotton 
singlet  and  a  pair  of  ragged  pyjamas.  I  bought  him 
six  white  suits  and  two  pairs  of  canvas  shoes.  Can't 
clear  the  ship  without  a  mate.  Must  have  somebody. 
I  am  going  on  shore  presently  to  sign  him  on,  and  I 
shall  take  him  with  me  as  I  go  back  on  board  to  get 
under  way.     Now,  I  am  a  lunatic  —  am  I  not  ?     Mad, 


\ 


FKEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        205 

of  course.  Come  on!  Lay  it  on  thick.  Let  yourself 
go.     I  like  to  see  you  get  excited." 

He  so  evidently  expected  me  to  scold  that  I  took 
especial  pleasure  in  exaggerating  the  calmness  of  my 
attitude. 

"  The  worst  that  can  be  brought  up  against  Schultz," 
I  began,  folding  my  arms  and  speaking  dispassionately, 
"  is  an  awkward  habit  of  stealing  the  stores  of  every 
ship  he  has  ever  been  in.  He  will  do  it.  That^s  really 
all  that's  wrong.  I  don't  credit  absolutely  that  story 
Captain  Robinson  tells  of  Schultz  conspiring  in 
Chantabun  with  some  ruffians  in  a  Chinese  junk  to 
steal  the  anchor  off  the  starboard  bow  of  the  Bohemian 
Oirl  schooner.  Robinson's  story  is  too  ingenious  al- 
together. That  other  tale  of  the  engineers  of  the  Nan- 
Shan  finding  Schultz  at  midnight  in  the  engine-room 
busy  hammering  at  the  brass  bearings  to  carry  them  off 
for  sale  on  shore  seems  to  me  more  authentic.  Apart 
from  this  little  weakness,  let  me  tell  you  that  Schultz 
is  a  smarter  sailor  than  many  who  never  took  a  drop 
of  drink  in  their  lives,  and  perhaps  no  worse  morally 
than  some  men  you  and  I  know  who  have  never  stolen 
the  value  of  a  penny.  He  may  not  be  a  desirable  per- 
son to  have  on  board  one's  ship,  but  since  you  have  no 
choice  he  may  be  made  to  do,  I  believe.  The  impor- 
tant thing  is  to  understand  his  psychology.  Don't  give 
him  any  money  till  you  have  done  with  him.  Not  a 
cent,  if  he  begs  you  ever  so.  For  as  sure  as  Fate  the 
moment  you  give  him  any  money  he  will  begin  to  steal. 
Just  remember  that." 


'TWIXT  LAKD  AND  SEA 

I  enjoyed  Jasper's  incredulous  surprise. 

"  The  devil  lie  will ! ''  he  cried.  "  What  on  earth 
for  ?     Aren't  you  trying  to  pull  my  leg,  old  boy  ?  " 

"No.  I'm  not.  You  must  understand  Schultz's 
psychology.  He's  neither  a  loafer  nor  a  cadger.  He's 
not  likely  to  wander  about  looking  for  somebody  to 
stand  him  drinks.  But  suppose  he  goes  on  shore  with 
^ve  dollars,  or  fifty  for  that  matter,  in  his  pocket? 
After  the  third  or  fourth  glass  he  becomes  fuddled  and 
charitable.  He  either  drops  his  money  all  over  the 
place,  or  else  distributes  the  lot  around ;  gives  it  to  any 
one  who  will  take  it.  Then  it  occurs  to  him  that  the 
night  is  young  yet,  and  that  he  may  require  a  good 
many  more  drinks  for  himself  and  his  friends  before 
morning.  So  he  starts  off  cheerfully  for  his  ship. 
His  legs  never  get  affected  nor  his  head  either  in  the 
usual  way.  He  gets  aboard  and  simply  grabs  the 
first  thing  that  seems  to  him  suitable  —  the  cabin  lamp, 
a  coil  of  rope,  a  bag  of  biscuits,  a  drum  of  oil  — 
and  converts  it  into  money  without  thinking  twice 
about  it.  This  is  the  process  and  no  other.  You  have 
only  to  look  out  that  he  doesn't  get  a  start.  That's 
all." 

"  Confound  his  psychology,"  muttered  Jasper. 
"  But  a  man  with  a  voice  like  his  is  fit  to  talk  to  the 
angels.     Is  he  incurable  do  you  think  ?  " 

I  said  that  I  thought  so.  Nobody  had  prosecuted 
him  yet,  but  no  one  would  employ  him  any  longer. 
His  end  would  be,  I  feared,  to  starve  in  some  hole  or 
other. 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        207 

"  Ah,  well,"  reflected  Jasper.  "  The  Bonito  isn't 
trading  to  any  ports  of  civilisation.  That'll  make  it 
easier  for  him  to  keep  straight." 

That  was  true.  The  brig's  business  was  on  un- 
civilised coasts,  with  obscure  rajahs  dwelling  in  nearly 
unknown  bays;  with  native  settlements  up  myterious 
rivers  opening  their  sombre,  forest-lined  estuaries 
among  a  welter  of  pale  green  reefs  and  dazzling  sand- 
banks, in  lonely  straits  of  calm  blue  water  all  aglitter 
with  sunshine.  Alone,  far  from  the  beaten  tracks,  she 
glided,  all  white,  round  dark,  frowning  headlands,  stole 
out,  silent  like  a  ghost,  from  behind  points  of  land 
stretching  out  all  black  in  the  moonlight;  or  lay  hove- 
to,  like  a  sleeping  sea-bird,  under  the  shadow  of  some 
nameless  mountain  waiting  for  a  signal.  She  would 
be  glimpsed  suddenly  on  misty,  squally  days  dashing 
disdainfully  aside  the  short  aggressive  waves  of  the 
Java  Sea;  or  be  seen  far,  far  away,  a  tiny  dazzling 
white  speck  flying  across  the  brooding  purple  masses 
of  thunderclouds  piled  up  on  the  horizon.  Sometimes, 
on  the  rare  mail  tracks,  where  civilisation  brushes 
against  wild  mystery,  when  the  naive  passengers  crowd- 
ing along  the  rail  exclaimed,  pointing  at  her  with 
interest :  "  Oh,  here's  a  yacht !  "  the  Dutch  captain, 
with  a  hostile  glance,  would  grunt  contemptuously: 
"Yacht!  No!  That's  only  English  Jasper.  A 
pedlar " 

"  A  good  seaman  you  say,"  ejaculated  Jasper,  still 
in  the  matter  of  the  hopeless  Schultz  with  the  wonder- 
fully touching  voice. 


208  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

"  First  rate.  Ask  any  one.  Quite  worth  having  — 
only  impossible,"  I  declared. 

"  He  shall  have  his  chance  to  reform  in  the  brig," 
said  Jasper,  with  a  laugh.  ^^  There  will  be  no  tempta- 
tions either  to  drink  or  steal  where  I  am  going  to  this 
time." 

I  didn't  press  him  for  anything  more  definite  on  that 
point.  In  fact,  intimate  as  we  were,  I  had  a  pretty 
clear  notion  of  the  general  run  of  his  business. 

But  as  we  are  going  ashore  in  his  gig  he  asked  sud- 
denly :  "  By  the  way,  do  you  know  where  Heemskirk 
is?" 

I  eyed  him  covertly,  and  was  reassured.  He  had 
asked  the  question,  not  as  a  lover,  but  as  a  trader.  I 
told  him  that  I  had  heard  in  Palembang  that  the 
Neptun  was  on  duty  down  about  Flores  and  Sumbawa. 
Quite  out  of  his  way.     He  expressed  his  satisfaction. 

"  You  know,"  he  went  on,  "  that  fellow,  when  he  gets 
on  the  Borneo  coast,  amuses  himself  by  knocking  down 
my  beacons.  I  have  had  to  put  up  a  few  to  help  me 
in  and  out  of  the  rivers.  Early  this  year  a  Celebes 
trader  becalmed  in  a  prau  was  watching  him  at  it.  He 
steamed  the  gunboat  full  tilt  at  two  of  them,  one  after 
another,  smashing  them  to  pieces,  and  then  lowered 
a  boat  on  purpose  to  pull  out  a  third,  which  I  had  a 
lot  of  trouble  six  months  ago  to  stick  up  in  the  middle 
of  a  mudflat  for  a  tide  mark.  Did  you  ever  hear 
of  anything  more  provoking  —  eh  ?  " 

"  I  wouldn't  quarrel  with  the  beggar,"  I  observed 


FEEYA  or  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        209 

casually,  yet  disliking  that  piece  of  news  strongly. 
"  It  isn't  worth  while." 

"  I  quarrel  ? "  cried  Jasper.  "  I  don't  want  to 
quarrel.  I  don't  want  to  hurt  a  single  hair  of  his 
ugly  head.  My  dear  fellow,  when  I  think  of  Freya's 
twenty-first  birthday,  all  the  world's  my  friend,  Heems- 
kirk  included.  It's  a  nasty,  spiteful  amusement,  all 
the  same." 

We  parted  rather  hurriedly  on  the  quay,  each  of  us 
having  his  own  pressing  business  to  attend  to.  I  would 
have  been  very  much  cut  up  had  I  known  that  this 
hurried  grasp  of  the  hand  with  "  So  long,  old  boy. 
Good  luck  to  you !  "  was  the  last  of  our  partings. 

On  his  return  to  the  Straits  I  was  away,  and  he 
was  gone  again  before  I  got  back.  He  was  trying  to 
achieve  three  trips  before  Ereya's  twenty-first  birth- 
day. At  Nelson's  Cove  I  missed  him  again  by  only  a 
couple  of  days.  Freya  and  I  talked  of  "  that  lunatic  " 
and  "  perfect  idiot "  with  great  delight  and  infinite  ap- 
preciation. She  was  very  radiant,  with  a  more  pro- 
nounced gaiety,  notwithstanding  that  she  had  just 
parted  from  Jasper.  But  this  was  to  be  their  last 
separation. 

"  Do  get  aboard  as  soon  as  you  can,  Miss  Freya,"  I 
entreated. 

She  looked  me  straight  in  the  face,  her  colour  a  little 
heightened  and  with  a  sort  of  solemn  ardour  —  if  there 
was  a  little  catch  in  her  voice. 

"  The  very  next  day." 


210  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

Ah,  yes !  The  very  next  day  after  her  twenty-first 
birthday.  I  was  pleased  at  this  hint  of  deep  feeling. 
It  was  as  if  she  had  grown  impatient  at  last  of  the 
self-imposed  delay.  I  supposed  that  Jasper's  recent 
visit  had  told  heavily. 

"  That's  right,"  I  said  approvingly.  "  I  shall  be 
much  easier  in  my  mind  when  I  know  you  have  taken 
charge  of  that  lunatic.  Don't  you  lose  a  minute.  He, 
of  course,  will  be  on  time  —  unless  heavens  fall." 

"  Yes.     Unless "  she  repeated  in  a  thoughtful 

whisper,  raising  her  eyes  to  the  evening  sky  without 
a  speck  of  cloud  anywhere.  Silent  for  a  time,  we  let 
our  eyes  wander  over  the  waters  below,  looking  mys- 
teriously still  in  the  twilight,  as  if  trustfully  composed 
for  a  long,  long  dream  in  the  warm,  tropical  night. 
And  the  peace  all  round  us  seemed  without  limits  and 
without  end. 

And  then  we  began  again  to  talk  Jasper  over  in  our 
usual  strain.  We  agreed  that  he  was  too  reckless  in 
many  ways.  Luckily,  the  brig  was  equal  to  the  situa- 
tion. Nothing  apparently  was  too  much  for  her.  A 
perfect  darling  of  a  ship,  said  Miss  Freya.  She  and 
her  father  had  spent  an  afternoon  on  board.  Jasper 
had  given  them  some  tea.  Papa  was  grumpy.  .  .  . 
I  had  a  vision  of  old  Nelson  under  the  brig's  snowy 
awnings,  nursing  his  unassuming  vexation,  and  fanning 
himself  with  his  hat.  A  comedy  father.  ...  As  a 
new  instance  of  Jasper's  lunacy,  I  was  told  that  he  was 
distressed  at  his  inability  to  have  solid  silver  handles 
fitted  to  all  the  cabin  doors.     "As  if  I  would  have 


PBEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        211 

let  him !  "  commented  Miss  Freya,  with  amused  in- 
dignation. Incidentally,  I  learned  also  that  Schultz, 
the  nautical  kleptomaniac  with  the  pathetic  voice,  was 
still  hanging  on  to  his  job,  with  Miss  Ereya's  approval. 
Jasper  had  confided  to  the  lady  of  his  heart  his  purpose 
of  straightening  out  the  fellow's  psychology.  Yes,  in- 
deed. All  the  world  was  his  friend  because  it  breathed 
the  same  air  with  Ereya. 

Somehow  or  other,  I  brought  Heemskirk's  name  into 
conversation,  and,  to  my  great  surprise,  startled  Miss 
Ereya.  Her  eyes  expressed  something  like  distress, 
while  she  bit  her  lip  as  if  to  contain  an  explosion  of 
laughter.  Oh!  Yes.  Heemskirk  was  at  the  bungalow 
at  the  same  time  with  Jasper,  but  he  arrived  the  day 
after.  He  left  the  same  day  as  the  brig,  but  a  few 
hours  later. 

"  What  a  nuisance  he  must  have  been  to  you  two," 
I  said  feelingly. 

Her  eyes  flashed  at  me  a  sort  of  frightened  merri- 
ment, and  suddenly  she  exploded  into  a  clear  burst  of 
laughter,  "  Ha,  ha,  ha !  " 

I  echoed  it  heartily,  but  not  with  the  same  charming 
tone :  "  Ha,  ha,  ha !  .  .  .  Isn't  he  grotesque  ?  Ha,  ha, 
ha !  "  And  the  ludicrousness  of  old  Nelson's  inanely 
fierce  round  eyes  in  association  with  his  conciliatory 
manner  to  the  lieutenant  presenting  itself  to  my  mind 
brought  on  another  fit. 

"  He  looks,"  I  spluttered,  "  he  looks  —  Ha,  ha,  ha ! 
—  amongst  you  three  .  .  .  like  an  unhappy  black- 
beetle.     Ha,  ha,  ha !  " 


212  'TwixT  la:n^d  a:^d  sea 

She  gave  out  another  ringing  peal,  ran  off  into  her 
own  room,  and  slammed  the  door  behind  her,  leaving 
me  profoundly  astounded.     I  stopped  laughing  at  once. 

"What's  the  joke?"  asked  old  ^NTelson's  voice,  half 
way  down  the  steps. 

He  came  up,  sat  down,  and  blew  out  his  cheeks,  look- 
ing inexpressibly  fatuous.  But  I  didn't  want  to  laugh 
any  more.  And  what  on  earth,  I  asked  myself,  have  we 
been  laughing  at  in  this  uncontrollable  fashion.  I  felt 
suddenly  depressed. 

Oh,  yes.  Freya  had  started  it.  The  girl's  over- 
wrought, I  thought.  And  really  one  couldn't  wonder 
at  it 

I  had  no  answer  to  old  Nelson's  question,  but  he  was 
too  aggrieved  at  Jasper's  visit  to  think  of  anything 
else.  He  as  good  as  asked  me  whether  I  wouldn't 
undertake  to  hint  to  Jasper  that  he  was  not  wanted  at 
the  Seven  Isles  group.  I  declared  that  it  was  not  nec- 
essary. From  certain  circumstances  which  had  come  to 
my  knowledge  lately,  I  had  reason  to  think  that  he  would 
not  be  much  troubled  by  Jasper  Allen  in  the  future. 

He  emitted  an  earnest  "  Thank  God !  "  which  nearly 
set  me  laughing  again,  but  he  did  not  brighten  up 
proportionately.  It  seemed  Heemskirk  had  taken  spe- 
cial pains  to  make  himself  disagreeable.  The  lieuten- 
ant had  frightened  old  Nelson  very  much  by  expressing 
a  sinister  wonder  at  the  Government  permitting  a  white 
man  to  settle  down  in  that  part  at  all.  "  It  is  against 
our  declared  policy,"  he  had  remarked.     He  had  also 


FKEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        213 

charged  him  with  being  in  reality  no  better  than  an 
Englishman.  He  had  even  tried  to  pick  a  quarrel  with 
him  for  not  learning  to  speak  Dutch. 

"  I  told  him  I  was  too  old  to  learn  now/'  sighed  out 
old  l^elson  (or  Nielsen)  dismally.  "  He  said  I  ought 
to  have  learned  Dutch  long  before.  I  had  been  making 
my  living  in  Dutch  dependencies.  It  was  disgraceful 
of  me  not  to  speak  Dutch,  he  said.  He  was  as  savage 
with  me  as  if  I  had  been  a  Chinaman." 

It  was  plain  he  had  been  viciously  badgered.  He  did 
not  mention  how  many  bottles  of  his  best  claret  he  had 
offered  up  on  the  altar  of  conciliation.  It  must  have 
been  a  generous  libation.  But  old  Nelson  (or  Neilsen) 
was  really  hospitable.  He  didn't  mind  that;  and 
I  only  regretted  that  this  virtue  should  be  lavished  on 
the  lieutenant-commander  of  the  Neptun.  I  longed 
to  tell  him  that  in  all  probability  he  would  be  relieved 
from  Heemskirk's  visitations  also.  I  did  not  do  so 
only  from  the  fear  (absurd,  I  admit)  of  arousing  some 
sort  of  suspicion  in  his  mind.  As  if  with  this  guileless 
comedy  father  such  a  thing  were  possible ! 

Strangely  enough,  the  last  words  on  the  subject  of 
Heemskirk  were  spoken  by  Freya,  and  in  that  very 
sense.  The  lieutenant  was  turning  up  persistently  in 
old  Nelson's  conversation  at  dinner.  At  last  I  inut- 
tered  a  half  audible  "  Damn  the  lieutenant."  I  could 
see  that  the  girl  was  getting  exasperated,  too. 

"  And  he  wasn't  well  at  all  —  was  he,  Freya  ?  "  old 
Nelson  went  on  moaning.     "  Perhaps  it  was  that  which 


214  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

made  him  so  snappish,  hey,  Freya?  He  looked  very 
bad  when  he  left  us  so  suddenly.  His  liver  must  be  in 
a  bad  state,  too." 

"  Oh,  he  will  end  by  getting  over  it,"  said  Freya  im- 
patiently. "  And  do  leave  off  worrying  about  him, 
papa.  Very  likely  you  won't  see  much  of  him  for  a 
long  time  to  come." 

The  look  she  gave  me  in  exchange  for  my  discreet 
smile  had  no  hidden  mirth  in  it.  Her  eyes  seemed 
hollowed,  her  face  gone  wan  in  a  couple  of  hours.  We 
had  been  laughing  too  much.  Overwrought!  Over- 
wrought by  the  approach  of  the  decisive  moment. 
After  all,  sincere,  courageous,  and  self-reliant  as  she 
was,  she  must  have  felt  both  the  passion  and  the  com- 
punction of  her  resolve.  The  very  strength  of  love 
which  had  carried  her  up  to  that  point  must  have  put 
her  under  a  great  moral  strain,  in  which  there  might 
have  been  a  little  simple  remorse,  too.  For  she  was 
honest  —  and  there,  across  the  table,  sat  poor  old  Nelson 
(or  Nielsen)  staring  at  her,  round-eyed  and  so  pathetic- 
ally comic  in  his  fierce  aspect  as  to  touch  the  most  light- 
some heart. 

He  retired  early  to  his  room  to  soothe  himself  for  a 
night's  rest  by  perusing  his  account-books.  We  two 
remained  on  the  verandah  for  another  hour  or  so,  but 
we  exchanged  only  languid  phrases  on  things  without 
importance,  as  though  we  had  been  emotionally  jaded 
by  our  long  day's  talk  on  the  only  momentous  subject. 
And  yet  there  was  something  she  might  have  told  a 
friend.     But   she   didn't.     We   parted    silently.     She 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        215 

distrusted  my  masculine  lack  of  common  sense,  perhaps. 
.  .  .  O !  Freya ! 

Going  down  the  precipitous  path  to  the  landing-stage, 
I  was  confronted  in  the  shadows  of  boulders  and  bushes 
by  a  draped  feminine  figure  whose  appearance  startled 
me  at  first.  It  glided  into  my  way  suddenly  from  be- 
hind a  piece  of  rock.  But  in  a  moment  it  occurred  to 
me  that  it  could  be  no  one  else  but  Ereya's  maid,  a  half- 
caste  Malacca  Portuguese.  One  caught  fleeting 
glimpses  of  her  olive  face  and  dazzling  white  teeth 
about  the  house.  I  had  also  observed  her  at  times  from 
a  distance,  as  she  sat  within  call  under  the  shade  of 
some  fruit  trees,  brushing  and  plaiting  her  long  raven 
locks.  It  seemed  to  be  the  principal  occupation  of  her 
leisure  hours.  We  had  often  exchanged  nods  and  smiles 
—  and  a  few  words,  too.  She  was  a  pretty  creature. 
And  once  I  had  watched  her  approvingly  make  funny 
and  expressive  grimaces  behind  Heemskirk's  back.  I 
understood  (from  Jasper)  that  she  was  in  the  secret, 
like  a  comedy  camerista.  She  was  to  accompany  Ereya 
on  her  irregular  way  to  matrimony  and  "  ever  after  " 
happiness.  Why  should  she  be  roaming  by  night  near 
the  cove  —  unless  on  some  love  affair  of  her  own  —  I 
asked  myself.  But  there  was  nobody  suitable  within 
the  Seven  Isles  group,  as  far  as  I  knew.  It  flashed 
upon  me  that  it  was  myself  she  had  been  lying  in  wait 
for. 

She  hesitated,  mufiled  from  head  to  foot,  shadowy 
and  bashful.  I  advanced  another  pace,  and  how  I  felt 
is  nobody's  business. 


216  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  I  asked,  very  low. 

"  Nobody  knows  I  am  here,"  she  whispered. 

"  And  nobody  can  see  us,"  I  whispered  back. 

The  murmur  of  words  "  IVe  been  so  frightened  " 
reached  me.  Just  then  forty  feet  above  our  head,  from 
the  yet  lighted  verandah,  unexpected  and  startling, 
Freya's  voice  rang  out  in  a  clear,  imperious  call: 

"Antonia!" 

With  a  stifled  exclamation,  the  hesitating  girl  van- 
ished out  of  the  path.  A  bush  near  by  rustled;  then 
silence.  I  waited  wondering.  The  lights  on  the 
verandah  went  out.  I  waited  a  while  longer  then  con- 
tinued down  the  path  to  my  boat,  wondering  more  than 
ever. 

I  remember  the  occurrences  of  that  visit  especially, 
because  this  was  the  last  tim6  I  saw  the  Nelson  bunga- 
low. On  arriving  at  the  Straits  I  found  cable  mes- 
sages which  made  it  necessary  for  me  to  throw  up  my 
employment  at  a  moment's  notice  and  go  home  at  once. 
I  had  a  desperate  scramble  to  catch  the  mail-boat  which 
was  due  to  leave  next  day,  but  I  found  time  to  write  two 
short  notes,  one  to  Freya,  the  other  to  Jasper.  Later 
on  I  wrote  at  length,  this  time  to  Allen  alone.  I  got  no 
answer.  I  hunted  up  then  his  brother,  or,  rather,  half- 
brother,  a  solicitor  in  the  city,  a  sallow,  calm,  little  man 
who  looked  at  me  over  his  spectacles  thoughtfully. 

Jasper  was  the  only  child  of  his  father's  second  mar- 
riage, a  transaction  which  had  failed  to  commend  itself 
to  the  first,  grown-up  family. 

"You  haven't  heard   for   ages,"    I   repeated,   with 


PEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        217 

secret  annoyance.  "  May  I  ask  what  '  for  ages  '  means 
in  this  connection  ?  " 

"  It  means  that  I  don't  care  whether  I  ever  hear 
from  him  or  not,"  retorted  the  little  man  of  law,  turn- 
ing nasty  suddenly. 

I  could  not  blame  Jasper  for  not  wasting  his  time 
in  correspondence  with  such  an  outrageous  relative. 
But  why  didn't  he  write  to  me  —  a  decent  sort  of 
friend,  after  all;  enough  of  a  friend  to  find  for  his 
silence  the  excuse  of  forgetfulness  natural  to  a  state  of 
transcendental  bliss?  I  waited  indulgently,  but  noth- 
ing ever  came.  And  the  East  seemed  to  drop  out  of 
my  life  without  an  echo,  like  a  stone  falling  into  a  well 
of  prodigious  depth. 

IV 

I  SUPPOSE  praiseworthy  motives  are  a  sufficient  justifi- 
cation almost  for  anything.  What  could  be  more  com- 
mendable in  the  abstract  than  a  girl's  determination 
that  "  poor  papa "  should  not  be  worried,  and  her 
anxiety  that  the  man  of  her  choice  should  be  kept  by 
any  means  from  every  occasion  of  doing  something 
rash,  something  which  might  endanger  the  whole 
scheme  of  their  happiness? 

iJ^othing  could  be  more  tender  and  more  prudent. 
We  must  also  remember  the  girl's  self-reliant  tempera- 
ment, and  the  general  unwillingness  of  women  —  I 
mean  women  of  sense  —^  to  make  a  fuss  over  matters  of 
that  sort. 


218  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

As  has  been  said  already,  Heemskirk  turned  up  some 
time  after  Jasper's  arrival  at  Nelson's  Cove.  The 
sight  of  the  brig  lying  right  under  the  bungalow  was 
very  offensive  to  him.  He  did  not  fly  ashore  before 
his  anchor  touched  the  ground  as  Jasper  used  to  do. 
On  the  contrary,  he  hung  about  his  quarter-deck 
mumbling  to  himself;  and  when  he  ordered  his  boat 
to  be  manned  it  was  in  an  angry  voice.  Freya's  ex- 
istence, which  lifted  Jasper  out  of  himself  into  a  bliss- 
ful elation,  was  for  Heemskirk  a  cause  of  secret 
torment,  of  hours  of  exasperated  brooding. 

While  passing  the  brig  he  hailed  her  harshly  and 
asked  if  the  master  was  on  board.  Schultz,  smart  and 
neat  in  a  spotless  white  suit,  leaned  over  the  taff- 
rail,  finding  the  question  somewhat  amusing.  He 
looked  humorously  down  into  Heemskirk's  boat,  and 
answered,  in  the  most  amiable  modulations  of  his 
beautiful  voice :  "  Captain  Allen  is  up  at  the  house, 
sir."  But  his  expression  changed  suddenly  at  the 
savage  growl:  "What  the  devil  are  you  grinning 
at  ? "  which  acknowledged  that  information. 

He  watched  Heemskirk  land  and,  instead  of  going 
to  the  house,  stride  away  by  another  path  into  the 
grounds. 

The  desire-tormented  Dutchman  found  old  Nelson 
(or  Nielsen)  at  his  drying-sheds,  very  busy  super- 
intending the  manipulation  of  his  tobacco  crop,  which, 
though  small,  was  of  excellent  quality,  and  enjoying 
himself  thoroughly.  But  Heemskirk  soon  put  a  stop 
to  this  simple  happiness.     He  sat  down  by  the  old 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        219 

chap,  and  by  the  sort  of  talk  which  he  knew  was  best 
calculated  for  the  purpose,  reduced  him  before  long  to 
a  state  of  concealed  and  perspiring  nervousness.  It 
was  a  horrid  talk  of  "  authorities,"  and  old  !N"elson 
tried  to  defend  himself.  If  he  dealt  with  English 
traders  it  was  because  he  had  to  dispose  of  his  produce 
somehow.  He  was  as  conciliatory  as  he  knew  how  to 
be,  and  this  very  thing  seemed  to  excite  Heemskirk, 
who  had  worked  himself  up  into  a  heavily  breathing 
state  of  passion. 

"And  the  worst  of  them  all  is  that  Allen,"  he 
growled.  "  Your  particular  friend  —  eh  ?  You  have 
let  in  a  lot  of  these  Englishmen  into  this  part.  You 
ought  never  to  have  been  allowed  to  settle  here. 
Never.     What's  he  doing  here  now  ?  " 

Old  Nelson  (or  Nielsen),  becoming  very  agitated, 
declared  that  Jasper  Allen  was  no  particular  friend 
of  his.  No  friend  at  all  —  at  all.  He  had  bought 
three  tons  of  rice  from  him  to  feed  his  workpeople  on. 
What  sort  of  evidence  of  friendship  was  that  ?  Heems- 
kirk burst  out  at  last  with  the  thought  that  had  been 
gnawing  at  his  vitals: 

-  "Yes.  Sell  three  tons  of  rice  and  flirt  three  days 
with  that  girl  of  yours.  I  am  speaking  to  you  as  a 
friend,  Nielsen.  This  won't  do.  You  are  only  on  suf- 
ferance here." 

Old  Nelson  was  taken  aback  at  first,  but  recovered 
pretty  quickly.  Won't  do !  Certainly !  Of  course,  it 
wouldn't  do!  The  last  man  in  the  world.  But  his 
girl  didn't  care  for  the  fellow,  and  was  too  sensible  to 


220  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

fall  in  love  with  any  one.  He  was  very  earnest  in  im- 
pressing on  Heemskirk  his  own  feeling  of  absolute 
security.  And  the  lieutenant,  casting  doubting  glances 
sideways,  was  yet  willing  to  believe  him. 

"  Much  you  know  about  it,"  he  grunted  nevertheless. 

"But  I  do  know,"  insisted  old  Nelson,  with  the 
greater  desperation  because  he  wanted  to  resist  the 
doubts  arising  in  his  own  mind.  "  My  own  daughter ! 
In  my  own  house,  and  I  not  to  know!  Gomel  It 
would  be  a  good  joke,  lieutenant." 

"  They  seem  to  be  carrying  on  considerably,"  re- 
marked Heemskirk  moodily.  "  I  suppose  they  are 
together  now,"  he  added,  feeling  a  pang  which  changed 
what  he  meant  for  a  mocking  smile  into  a  strange 
grimace. 

The  harassed  Nelson  shook  his  hand  at  him.  He 
was  at  bottom  shocked  at  this  insistence,  and  was  even 
beginning  to  feel  annoyed  at  the  absurdity  of  it. 

"  Pooh !  Pooh !  I'll  tell  you  what,  lieutenant :  you 
go  to  the  house  and  have  a  drop  of  gin-and-bitters 
before  dinner.  Ask  for  Freya.  I  must  see  the  last 
of  this  tobacco  put  away  for  the  night,  but  I'll  be 
along  presently." 

Heemskirk  was  not  insensible  to  this  suggestion.  It 
answered  to  his  secret  longing,  which  was  not  a  longing 
for  drink,  however.  Old  Nelson  shouted  solicitously 
after  his  broad  back  a  recommendation  to  make  himself 
comfortable,  and  that  there  was  a  box  of  cheroots  on 
the  verandah. 

It  was  the  west  verandah  that  old  Nelson  meant, 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        221 

the  one  which  was  the  living-room  of  the  house,  and 
had  split-rattan  screens  of  the  very  finest  quality.  The 
east  verandah,  sacred  to  his  own  privacy,  puflSng  out 
of  cheeks,  and  other  signs  of  perplexed  thinking,  was 
fitted  with  stout  blinds  of  sailcloth.  The  north 
verandah  was  not  a  verandah  at  all,  really.  It  was 
more  like  a  long  balcony.  It  did  not  communicate 
with  the  other  two,  and  could  only  be  approached  by 
a  passage  inside  the  house.  Thus  it  had  a  privacy 
which  made  it  a  convenient  place  for  a  maiden's 
meditations  without  words,  and  also  for  the  discourses, 
apparently  without  sense,  which,  passing  between  a 
young  man  and  a  maid,  become  pregnant  with  a 
diversity  of  transcendental  meanings. 

This  north  verandah  was  embowered  with  climbing 
plants.  Ereya,  whose  room  opened  out  on  it,  had 
furnished  it  as  a  sort  of  boudoir  for  herself,  with  a 
few  cane  chairs  and  a  sofa  of  the  same  kind.  On  this 
sofa  she  and  Jasper  sat  as  close  together  as  is  possible 
in  this  imperfect  world  where  neither  can  a  body  be 
in  two  places  at  once  nor  yet  two  bodies  can  be  in  one 
place  at  the  same  time.  They  had  been  sitting 
together  all  the  afternoon,  and  I  won't  say  that  their 
talk  had  been  without  sense.  Loving  him  with  a  little 
judicious  anxiety  lest  in  his  elation  he  should  break 
his  heart  over  some  mishap,  Ereya  naturally  would 
talk  to  him  soberly.  He,  nervous  and  brusque  when 
away  from  her,  appeared  always  as  if  overcome  by  her 
visibility,  by  the  great  wonder  of  being  palpably  loved. 
An  old   man's   child,    having  lost   his   mother   early, 


'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

thrown  out  to  sea  out  of  the  way  while  very  young, 
he  had  not  much  experience  of  tenderness  of  any  kind. 

In  this  private,  foliage-embowered  verandah,  and  at 
this  late  hour  of  the  afternoon,  he  bent  down  a  little, 
and,  possessing  himself  of  Freya's  hands,  was  kissing 
them  one  after  another,  while  she  smiled  and  looked 
down  at  his  head  with  the  eyes  of  approving  compas- 
sion. At  that  same  moment  Heemskirk  was  approach- 
ing the  house  from  the  north. 

Antonia  was  on  the  watch  on  that  side.  But  she 
did  not  keep  a  very  good  watch.  The  sun  was  setting ; 
she  knew  that  her  young  mistress  and  the  captain  of 
the  Bonito  were  about  to  separate.  She  was  walking 
to  and  fro  in  the  dusky  grove  with  a  flower  in  her  hair, 
and  singing  softly  to  herself,  when  suddenly,  within  a 
foot  of  her,  the  lieutenant  appeared  from  behind  a  tree. 
She  bounded  aside  like  a  startled  fawn,  but  Heems- 
kirk, with  a  lucid  comprehension  of  what  she  was  there 
for,  pounced  upon  her,  and,  catching  her  arm,  clapped 
his  other  thick  hand  over  her  mouth. 

"  If  you  try  to  make  a  noise  1^11  twist  your  neck !  " 

This  ferocious  figure  of  speech  terrified  the  girl 
sufficiently.  Heemskirk  had  seen  plainly  enough  on 
the  verandah  Freya's  golden  head  with  another  head 
very  close  to  it.  He  dragged  the  unresisting  maid  with 
him  by  a  circuitous  way  into  the  compound,  where  he 
dismissed  her  with  a  vicious  push  in  the  direction  of 
the  cluster  of  bamboo  huts  for  the  servants. 

She  was  very  much  like  the  faithful  camerista  of 
Italian   comedy,   but   in   her  terror   she   bolted   away 


EEEYA  OF  THE  SEVE:N^  ISLES        223 

without  a  sound  from  that  thick,  short,  hlack-ejed 
man  with  a  cruel  grip  of  fingers  like  a  vice.  Quaking 
all  over  at  a  distance,  extremely  scared  and  half  in- 
clined to  laugh,  she  saw  him  enter  the  house  at  the 
back. 

The  interior  of  the  bungalow  was  divided  by  two 
passages  crossing  each  other  in  the  middle.  At  that 
point  Heemskirk,  by  turning  his  head  slightly  to  the 
left  as  he  passed,  secured  the  evidence  of  "  carrying 
on "  so  irreconcilable  with  old  Nelson's  assurances 
that  it  made  him  stagger,  with  a  rush  of  blood  to  his 
head.  Two  white  figures,  distinct  against  the  light, 
stood  in  an  unmistakable  attitude.  Freya's  arms  were 
round  Jasper's  neck.  Their  faces  were  characteristic- 
ally superimposed  on  each  other,  and  Heemskirk  went 
on,  his  throat  choked  with  a  sudden  rising  of  curses,  till 
on  the  west  verandah  he  stumbled  blindly  against  a 
chair  and  then  dropped  into  another  as  though  his  legs 
had  been  swept  from  under  him.  He  had  indulged  too 
long  in  the  habit  of  appropriating  Freya  to  himself  in 
his  thoughts.  "  Is  that  how  you  entertain  your  visitors 
—  you  .  .  ."  he  thought,  so  outraged  that  he  could  not 
find  a  sufficiently  degrading  epithet. 

Freya  struggled  a  little  and  threw  her  head  back. 

"  Somebody  has  come  in,"  she  whispered.  Jasper, 
holding  her  clasped  closely  to  his  breast,  and  looking 
down  into  her  face,  suggested  casually: 

"  Your  father." 

Freya  tried  to  disengage  herself,  but  she  had  not  the 
heart  absolutely  to  push  him  away  with  her  hands. 


224  'TWIXT  LAISTD  AND  SEA 

"  I  believe  it's  Ileemskirk,"  she  breathed  out  at  him. 

He,  plunging  into  her  eyes  in  a  quiet  rapture,  was 
provoked  to  a  vague  smile  bj  the  sound  of  the  name. 

"  The  ass  is  always  knocking  down  my  beacons  out- 
side the  river,"  he  murmured.  He  attached  no  other 
meaning  to  Heemskirk's  existence;  but  Freya  was  ask- 
ing herself  whether  the  lieutenant  had  seen  them. 

"  Let  me  go,  kid,"  she  ordered  in  a  peremptory  whis- 
per. Jasper  obeyed,  and,  stepping  back  at  once,  con- 
tinued his  contemplation  of  her  face  under  another 
angle.  "  I  must  go  and  see,"  she  said  to  herself 
anxiously. 

She  instructed  him  hurriedly  to  wait  a  moment  aftar 
she  was  gone  and  then  to  slip  on  to  the  back  verandah 
and  get  a  quiet  smoke  before  he  showed  himself. 

"  Don't  stay  late  this  evening,"  was  her  last  recom- 
mendation before  she  left  him. 

Then  Freya  came  out  on  the  west  verandah  with  her 
light,  rapid  step.  While  going  through  the  doorway 
she  managed  to  shake  dovm  the  folds  of  the  looped-up 
curtains  at  the  end  of  the  passage  so  as  to  cover  Jasper's 
retreat  from  the  bower.  Directly  she  appeared  Heems- 
kirk  jumped  up  as  if  to  fly  at  her.  She  paused  and  he 
made  her  an  exaggerated  low  bow. 

It  irritated  Freya. 

"  Oh !  It's  you,  Mr.  Heemskirk.  How  do  you 
do?" 

She  spoke  in  her  usual  tone.  Her  face  was  not 
plainly  visible  to  him  in  the  dusk  of  the  deep  verandah. 


FKEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        225 

He  dared  not  trust  himself  to  speak,  his  rage  at  what 
he  had  seen  was  so  great.  And  when  she  added  with 
serenity :  "  Papa  will  be  coming  in  before  long/'  he 
called  her  horrid  names  silently,  to  himself,  before  he 
spoke  with  contorted  lips. 

"  I  have  seen  your  father  already.  We  had  a  talk 
in  the  sheds.  He  told  me  some  very  interesting 
things.     Oh,  very " 

Ereya  sat  down.  She  thought :  "  He  has  seen  us, 
for  certain."  She  was  not  ashamed.  What  she  was 
afraid  of  was  some  foolish  or  awkward  complication. 
But  she  could  not  conceive  how  much  her  person  had 
been  appropriated  by  Heemskirk  (in  his  thoughts). 
She  tried  to  be  conversational. 

"You  are  coming  now  from  Palembang,  I  sup- 
pose ? " 

"  Eh  ?  What  ?  Oh,  yes !  I  come  from  Palembang. 
Ha,  ha,  ha!  You  know  what  your  father  said?  He 
said  he  was  afraid  you  were  having  a  very  dull  time 
of  it  here." 

"  And  I  suppose  you  are  going  to  cruise  in  the 
Moluccas,"  continued  Freya,  who  wanted  to  impart 
some  useful  information  to  Jasper  if  possible.  At  the 
same  time  she  was  always  glad  to  know  that  those  two 
men  were  a  few  hundred  miles  apart  when  not  under 
her  eye. 

Heemskirk  growled  angrily. 

"  Yes.  Moluccas,"  glaring  in  the  direction  of  her 
shadowy  figure.     "Your  father  thinks  it's  very  quiet 


226  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

for  you, here.  I  tell  you  what,  Miss  Freya.  There 
isn't  such  a  quiet  spot  on  earth  that  a  woman  can't 
find  an  opportunity  of  making  a  fool  of  somebody." 

Freya  thought :  "  I  mustn't  let  him  provoke  me." 
Presently  the  Tamil  boy,  who  was  Nelson's  head 
servant,  came  in  with  the  lights.  She  addressed  him 
at  once  with  voluble  directions  where  to  put  the  lamps, 
told  him  to  bring  the  tray  with  the  gin  and  bitters, 
and  to  send  Antonia  into  the  house. 

"  I  will  have  to  leave  you  to  yourself,  Mr.  Heems- 
kirk,  for  a  while,"  she  said. 

And  she  went  to  her  room  to  put  on  another  frock. 
She  made  a  quick  change  of  it  because  she  wished  to 
be  on  the  verandah  before  her  father  and  the  lieuten- 
ant met  again.  She  relied  on  herself  to  regulate  that 
evening'-s  intercourse  between  these  two.  But  Antonia, 
still  scared  and  hysterical,  exhibited  a  bruise  on  her 
arm  which  roused  Freya's  indignation. 

"  He  jumped  on  me  out  of  the  bush  like  a  tiger,"  said 
the  girl,  laughing  nervously  with  frightened  eyes. 

"  The  brute !  "  thought  Freya.  "  He  meant  to  spy 
on  us,  then."  She  was  enraged,  but  the  recollection 
of  the  thick  Dutchman  in  white  trousers  wide  at  the 
hips  and  narrow  at  the  ankles,  with  his  shoulder-straps 
and  black  bullet  head,  glaring  at  her  in  the  light  of 
the  lamps,  was  so  repulsively  comical  that  she  could 
not  help  a  smiling  grimace.  Then  she  became  anxious. 
The  absurdities  of  three  men  were  forcing  this  anxiety 
upon  her:  Jasper's  impetuosity,  her  father's  fears, 
Heemskirk's  infatuation.     She  was  very  tender  to  the 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        227 

first  two,  and  she  made  up  her  mind  to  display  all  her 
feminine  diplomacy.  All  this,  she  said  to  herself,  will 
be  over  and  done  with  before  very  long  now. 

Heemskirk  on  the  verandah,  lolling  in  a  chair,  his 
legs  extended  and  his  white  cap  reposing  on  his  stomach, 
was  lashing  himself  into  a  fury  of  an  atrocious  char- 
acter altogether  incomprehensible  to  a  girl  like  Ereya. 
His  chin  was  resting  on  his  chest,  his  eyes  gazed  stonily 
at  his  shoes.  Ereya  examined  him  from  behind  the 
curtain.  He  didn't  stir.  He  was  ridiculous.  But 
this  absolute  stillness  was  impressive.  She  stole  back 
along  the  passage  to  the  east  verandah,  where  Jasper 
was  sitting  quietly  in  the  dark,  doing  what  he  was  told, 
like  a  good  boy. 

"Psst,"  she  hissed.  He  was  by  her  side  in  a  mo- 
ment. 

"  Yes.     What  is  it  ?  "  he  murmured. 

"  It's  that  beetle,"  she  whispered  uneasily.  Under 
the  impression  of  Heemskirk's  sinister  immobility  she 
had  half  a  mind  to  let  Jasper  know  that  they  had  been 
seen.  But  she  was  by  no  means  certain  that  Heems- 
kirk would  tell  her  father  —  and  at  any  rate  not  that 
evening.  She  concluded  rapidly  that  the  safest  thing 
would  be  to  get  Jasper  out  of  the  way  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. 

"  What  has  he  been  doing  ? "  asked  Jasper  in  a  calm 
undertone. 

"  Oh,  nothing !  Nothing.  He  sits  there  looking 
cross.  But  you  know  how  he's  always  worrying 
papa." 


228  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

"  Your  father's  quite  unreasonable,"  pronounced 
Jasper  judicially. 

"  I  don't  know,"  she  said  in  a  doubtful  tone.  Some- 
thing of  old  Nelson's  dread  of  the  authorities  had 
rubbed  off  on  the  girl  since  she  had  to  live  with  it  day 
after  day.  "  I  don't  know.  Papa's  afraid  of  being 
reduced  to  beggary,  as  he  says,  in  his  old  days.  Look 
here,  kid,  you  had  better  clear  out  to-morrow,  first 
thing." 

Jasper  had  hoped  for  another  afternoon  with  Freya, 
an  afternoon  of  quiet  felicity  with  the  girl  by  his  side 
and  his  eyes  on  his  brig,  anticipating  a  blissful  future. 
His  silence  was  eloquent  with  disappointment,  and 
Freya  understood  it  very  well.  She,  too,  was  disap- 
pointed.    But  it  was  her  business  to  be  sensible. 

"  We  shan't  have  a  moment  to  ourselves  with  that 
beetle  creeping  round  the  house,"  she  argued  in  a  low, 
hurried  voice.  "  So  what's  the  good  of  your  staying  ? 
And  he  won't  go  while  the  brig's  here.  You  know  he 
won't." 

"  He  ought  to  be  reported  for  loitering,"  murmured 
Jasper  with  a  vexed  little  laugh. 

"  Mind  you  get  under  way  at  daylight,"  recom- 
mended Freya  under  her  breath. 

He  detained  her  after  the  manner  of  lovers.  She 
expostulated  without  struggling  because  it  was  hard 
for  her  to  repulse  him.  He  whispered  into  her  ear 
while  he  put  his  arms  round  her. 

"  Next  time  we  two  meet,  next  time  I  hold  you  like 
this,  it  shall  be  on  board.     You  and  I,  in  the  brig  — 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        229 

all  the  world,  all  the  life ^"     And  then  he  flashed 

out :  "  I  wonder  I  can  wait !  I  feel  as  if  I  must  carry 
you  off  now,  at  once.  I  could  run  with  you  in  my 
hands  —  down  the  path  —  without  stumbling  —  with- 
out touching  the  earth ^" 

She  was  still.  She  listened  to  the  passion  in  his 
voice.  She  was  saying  to  herself  that  if  she  were  to 
whisper  the  faintest  yes,  if  she  were  but  to  sigh  lightly 
her  consent,  he  would  do  it.  He  was  capable  of  doing 
it  —  without  touching  the  earth.  She  closed  her  eyes 
and  smiled  in  the  dark,  abandoning  herself  in  a  delight- 
ful giddiness,  for  an  instant,  to  his  encircling  arm. 
But  before  he  could  be  tempted  to  tighten  his  grasp 
she  was  out  of  it,  a  foot  away  from  him  and  in  full  pos- 
session of  herself. 

That  was  the  steady  Freya.  She  was  touched  by 
the  deep  sigh  which  floated  up  to  her  from  the  white 
figure  of  Jasper,  who  did  not  stir. 

"  You  are  a  mad  kid,"  she  said  tremulously.  Then 
with  a  change  of  tone :  "  ]^o  one  could  carry  me  off. 
'Not  even  you.  I  am  not  the  sort  of  girl  that  gets 
carried  off."  His  white  form  seemed  to  shrink  a  little 
before  the  force  of  that  assertion  and  she  relented. 
"  Isn't  it  enough  for  you  to  know  that  you  have  —  that 
you  have  carried  me  away  ? "  she  added  in  a  tender 
tone. 

He  murmured  an  endearing  word,  and  she  con- 
tinued : 

"  I've  promised  you  —  I've  said  I  would  come  — 
and  I  shall  come  of  my  own  free  will.     You  shall  wait 


230  TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

for  me  on  board.  I  shall  get  up  the  side  —  by  myself, 
and  walk  up  to  you  on  the  deck  and  say :  '  Here  I  am, 
kid.'  And  then  —  and  then  I  shall  be  carried  off. 
But  it  will  be  no  man  who  will  carry  me  off  —  it 
will  be  the  brig,  your  brig  —  our  brig.  ...  I  love  the 
beauty !  " 

She  heard  an  inarticulate  sound,  something  like  a 
moan  wrung  out  by  pain  or  delight,  and  glided  away. 
There  was  that  other  man  on  the  other  verandah,  that 
dark,  surly  Dutchman  who  could  make  trouble  between 
Jasper  and  her  father,  bring  about  a  quarrel,  ugly 
words,  and  perhaps  a  physical  collision.  What  a  hor- 
rible situation !  But,  even  putting  aside  that  awful 
extremity,  she  shrank  from  having  to  live  for  some 
three  months  with  a  wretched,  tormented,  angry,  dis- 
tracted, absurd  man.  And  when  the  day  came,  the 
day  and  the  hour,  what  should  she  do  if  her  father 
tried  to  detain  her  by  main  force  —  as  was,  after  all, 
possible?  Could  she  actually  struggle  with  him  hand 
to  hand  ?  But  it  was  of  lamentations  and  entreaties 
that  she  was  really  afraid.  Could  she  withstand  them  ? 
What  an  odious,  cruel,  ridiculous  position  would  that 
be! 

"  But  it  won't  be.  He'll  say  nothing,"  she  thought 
as  she  came  out  quickly  on  the  west  verandah,  and, 
seeing  that  Heemskirk  did  not  move,  sat  down  on  a 
chair  near  the  doorway  and  kept  her  eyes  on  him.  The 
outraged  lieutenant  had  not  changed  his  attitude;  only 
his  cap  had  fallen  off  his  stomach  and  was  lying  on  the 
floor.     His   thick  black  eyebrows  were  knitted  by  a 


FKEYA  OF  THE  SEVE:N^  ISLES        231 

frown,  while  he  looked  at  her  out  of  the  corners  of  his 
ejes.  And  their  sideways  glance  in  conjunction  with 
the  hooked  nose,  the  whole  bulky,  ungainly,  sprawling 
person,  struck  Ereya  as  so  comically  moody  that,  in- 
wardly discomposed  as  she  was,  she  could  not  help 
smiling.  She  did  her  best  to  give  that  smile  a  concil- 
iatory character.  She  did  not  want  to  provoke  Heems- 
kirk  needlessly. 

And  the  lieutenant,  perceiving  that  smile,  was 
mollified.  It  never  entered  his  head  that  his  outward 
appearance,  a  naval  officer,  in  uniform,  could  appear 
ridiculous  to  that  girl  of  no  position  —  the  daughter  of 
old  ISTielsen.  The  recollection  of  her  arms  round 
Jasper's  neck  still  irritated  and  excited  him.  "  The 
hussy!"  he  thought.  "Smiling  —  eh?  That's  how 
you  are  amusing  yourself.  Fooling  your  father  finely, 
aren't  you  ?     You  have  a  taste  for  that  sort  of  fun  — 

have  you  ?     Well,  we  shall  see "     He  did  not  alter 

his  position,  but  on  his  pursed-up  lips  there  also  ap- 
peared a  smile  of  surly  and  ill-omened  amusement, 
while  his  eyes  returned  to  the  contemplation  of  his 
boots. 

Freya  felt  hot  with  indignation.  She  sat  radiantly 
fair  in  the  lamplight,  her  strong,  well-shaped  hands 
lying  one  on  top  of  the  other  in  her  lap.  ..."  Odious 
creature,"  she  thought.  Her  face  coloured  with  sud- 
den anger.  "  You  have  scared  my  maid  out  of  her 
senses,"  she  said  aloud.     "  What  possessed  you  ?  " 

He  was  thinking  so  deeply  of  her  that  the  sound  of 
her  voice,  pronouncing  these  unexpected  words,  startled 


232  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

him  extremely.  He  jerked  up  his  head  and  looked  so 
bewildered  that  Freya  insisted  impatiently: 

"  I  mean  Antonia.  You  have  bruised  her  arm. 
What  did  you  do  it  for?" 

"  Do  you  want  to  quarrel  with  me  ? "  he  asked 
thickly,  with  a  sort  of  amazement.  He  blinked  like 
an  owl.  He  was  funny.  Freya,  like  all  women,  had 
a  keen  sense  of  the  ridiculous  in  outward  appearance. 

''  Well,  no ;  I  don't  think  I  do."  She  could  not  help 
herself.  She  laughed  outright,  a  clear,  nervous  laugh 
in  which  Heemskirk  joined  suddenly  with  a  harsh  "  Ha, 
ha,  ha!" 

Voices  and  footsteps  were  heard  in  the  passage,  and 
Jasper,  with  old  Nelson,  came  out.  Old  Nelson  looked 
at  his  daughter  approvingly,  for  he  liked  the  lieutenant 
to  be  kept  in  good  humour.  And  he  also  joined 
sympathetically  in  the  laugh.  "  Now,  lieutenant,  we 
shall  have  some  dinner,"  he  said,  rubbing  his  hands 
cheerily.  Jasper  had  gone  straight  to  the  balustrade. 
The  sky  was  full  of  stars,  and  in  the  blue  velvety  night 
the  cove  below  had  a  denser  blackness,  in  which  the 
riding-lights  of  the  brig  and  of  the  gunboat  glimmered 
redly,  like  suspended  sparks.  "  Next  time  this  riding- 
light  glimmers  down  there,  I'll  be  waiting  for  her  on  the 
quarter-deck  to  come  and  say  '  Here  I  am,'  "  Jasper 
thought;  and  his  heart  seemed  to  grow  bigger  in  his 
chest,  dilated  by  an  oppressive  happiness  that  nearly 
wrung  out  a  cry  from  him.  There  was  no  wind.  Not 
a  leaf  below  him  stirred,  and  even  the  sea  was  but  a 
still   uncomplaining   shadow.     Far   away   on   the   un- 


FKEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        233 

clouded  sky  the  pale  lightning,  the  heat-lightning  of 
the  tropics,  played  tremulously  amongst  the  low  stars 
in  short,  faint,  mysteriously  consecutive  flashes,  like 
incomprehensible  signals  from  some  distant  planet. 

The  dinner  passed  off  quietly.  Ereya  sat  facing  her 
father,  calm  but  pale.  Heemskirk  affected  to  talk  only 
to  old  Nelson.  Jasper's  behaviour  was  exemplary. 
He  kept  his  eyes  under  control,  basking  in  the  sense 
of  Freya's  nearness,  as  people  bask  in  the  sun  without 
looking  up  to  heaven.  And  very  soon  after  dinner  was 
over,  mindful  of  his  instructions,  he  declared  that  it 
was  time  for  him  to  go  on  board  his  ship. 

Heemskirk  did  not  look  up.  Ensconced  in  the 
rocking-chair,  and  puffing  at  a  cheroot,  he  had  the  air 
of  meditating  surlily  over  some  odious  outbreak.  So 
at  least  it  seemed  to  Freya.  Old  Nelson  said  at  once: 
"  I'll  stroll  down  with  you."  He  had  begun  a  pro- 
fessional conversation  about  the  dangers  of  the  New 
Guinea  coast,  and  wanted  to  relate  to  Jasper  some  ex- 
perience of  his  own  "  over  there."  Jasper  was  such  a 
good  listener!  Freya  made  as  if  to  accompany  them, 
but  her  father  frowned,  shook  his  head,  and  nodded 
significantly  towards  the  immovable  Heemskirk  blow- 
ing out  smoke  with  half-closed  eyes  and  protruded  lips. 
The  lieutenant  must  not  be  left  alone.  Take  offence, 
perhaps. 

Freya  obeyed  these  signs.  "Perhaps  it  is  better  for 
me  to  stay,"  she  thought.  Women  are  not  generally 
prone  to  review  their  own  conduct,  still  less  to  condemn 
it.     The  embarrassing  masculine  absurdities  are  in  the 


234  'TWIXT  LANE)  AND  SEA 

main  responsible  for  its  ethics.  But,  looking  at  Heems- 
kirk,  Freja  felt  regret  and  even  remorse.  His  thick 
bulk  in  repose  suggested  the  idea  of  repletion,  but  as 
a  matter  of  fact  he  had  eaten  very  little.  He  had 
drunk  a  great  deal,  however.  The  fleshy  lobes  of  his 
unpleasant  big  ears  with  deeply  folded  rims  were 
crimson.  They  quite  flamed  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
the  flat,  sallow  cheeks.  For  a  considerable  time  he 
did  not  raise  his  heavy  brown  eyelids.  To  be  at  the 
mercy  of  such  a  creature  was  humiliating;  and  Freya, 
who  always  ended  by  being  frank  with  herself,  thought 
regretfully :  "  If  only  I  had  been  open  with  papa  from 
the  first !  But  then  what  an  impossible  life  he  would 
have  led  me ! "  Yes.  Men  were  absurd  in  many 
ways;  lovably  like  Jasper,  impracticably  like  her 
father,  odiously  like  that  grotesquely  supine  creature 
in  the  chair.  Was  it  possible  to  talk  him  over? 
Perhaps  it  was  not  necessary  ?  "  Oh !  I  can't  talk  to 
him,"  she  thought.  And  when  Heemskirk,  still  with- 
out looking  at  her,  began  resolutely  to  crush  his  half- 
smoked  cheroot  on  the  coffee-tray,  she  took  alarm, 
glided  towards  the  piano,  opened  it  in  tremendous 
haste,  and  struck  the  keys  before  she  sat  down. 

In  an  instant  the  verandah,  the  whole  carpetless 
wooden  bungalow  raised  on  piles,  became  filled  with 
an  uproarious,  confused  resonance.  But  through  it  all 
she  heard,  she  felt  on  the  floor  the  heavy,  prowling 
footsteps  of  the  lieutenant  moving  to  and  fro  at  her 
back.  He  was  not  exactly  drunk,  but  he  was  suffi- 
ciently primed  to  make  the  suggestions  of  his  excited 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        235 

imagination  seem  perfectly  feasible  and  even  clever; 
beautifully,  unscrupulously  clever.  Freya,  aware  that 
he  had  stopped  just  behind  her,  went  on  playing  with- 
out turning  her  head.  She  played  with  spirit,  bril- 
liantly, a  fierce  piece  of  music,  but  when  his  voice 
reached  her  she  went  cold  all  over.  It  was  the  voice, 
not  the  words.  The  insolent  familiarity  of  tone  dis- 
mayed her  to  such  an  extent  that  she  could  not  under- 
stand at  first  what  he  was  saying.  His  utterance  was 
thick,  too. 

"  I  suspected.  ...  Of  course  I  suspected  something 
of  your  little  goings  on.  I  am  not  a  child.  But 
from  suspecting  to  seeing  —  seeing,  you  understand  — 
there's  an  enormous  difference.  That  sort  of  thing. 
.  .  .  Come!  One  isn't  made  of  stone.  And  when  a 
man  has  been  worried  by  a  girl  as  I  have  been  worried 
by  you,  Miss  Freya  —  sleeping  and  waking,  then,  of 
course.  .  .  .  But  I  am  a  man  of  the  world.  It  must 
be  dull  for  you  here  ...  I  say,  won't  you  leave  off 
this  confounded  playing  .  .  .  ? " 

This  last  was  the  only  sentence  really  which  she 
made  out.  She  shook  her  head  negatively,  and  in 
desperation  put  on  the  loud  pedal,  but  she  could  not 
make  the  sound  of  the  piano  cover  his  raised  voice. 

"  Only,  I  am  surprised  that  you  should.  .  .  .  An 
English  trading  skipper,  a  common  fellow.  Low, 
cheeky  lot,  infesting  these  islands.  I  would  make 
short  work  of  such  trash !  While  you  have  here  a  good 
friend,  a  gentleman  ready  to  worship  at  your  feet  — 
your    pretty    feet  —  an    officer,    a    man    of    family. 


236  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

Strange,  isn't  it?  But  what  of  that!  You  are  fit  for 
a  prince." 

Freja  did  not  turn  her  head.  Her  face  went  stiff 
with  horror  and  indignation.  This  adventure  was  al- 
together beyond  her  conception  of  what  was  possible. 
It  was  not  in  her  character  to  jump  up  and  run  away. 
It  seemed  to  her,  too,  that  if  she  did  move  there  was 
no  saying  what  might  happen.  Presently  her  father 
would  be  back,  and  then  the  other  would  have  to  leave 
off.  It  was  best  to  ignore  —  to  ignore.  She  went  on 
playing  loudly  and  correctly,  as  though  she  were  alone, 
as  if  Heemskirk  did  not  exist.  That  proceeding  irri- 
tated him. 

"  Come !  You  may  deceive  your  father,"  he  bawled 
angrily,  "  but  I  am  not  to  be  made  a  fool  of !  Stop 
this  infernal  noise  .  .  .  Freya  .  .  .  Hey!  You  Scan- 
dinavian Goddess  of  Love!  Stop!  Do  you  hear? 
That's  what  you  are  —  of  love.  But  the  heathen  gods 
are  only  devils  in  disguise,  and  that's  what  you  are, 
too  —  a  deep  little  devil.  Stop  it,  I  say,  or  I  will  lift 
you  off  that  stool !  " 

Standing  behind  her,  he  devoured  her  with  his 
eyes,  from  the  golden  crown  of  her  rigidly  motionless 
head  to  the  heels  of  her  shoes,  the  line  of  her  shapely 
shoulders,  the  curves  of  her  fine  figure  swaying  a  little 
before  the  keyboard.  She  had  on  a  light  dress;  the 
sleeves  stopped  short  at  the  elbows  in  an  edging  of 
lace.  A  satin  ribbon  encircled  her  waist.  In  an  access 
of  irresistible,  reckless  hopefulness  he  clapped  both  his 
hands  on  that  waist  —  and  then  the  irritating  music 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        237 

stopped  at  last.  But,  quick  as  she  was  in  springing 
away  from  the  contact  (the  round  music-stool  going 
over  with  a  crash),  Heemskirk's  lips,  aiming  at  her 
neck,  landed  a  hungry,  smacking  kiss  just  under  her 
ear.  A  deep  silence  reigned  for  a  time.  And  then  he 
laughed  rather  feebly. 

He  was  disconcerted  somewhat  by  her  white,  still 
face,  the  big  light  violet  eyes  resting  on  him  stonily. 
She  had  not  uttered  a  sound.  She  faced  him,  steady- 
ing herself  on  the  comer  of  the  piano  with  one  ex- 
tended hand.  The  other  went  on  rubbing  with  me- 
chanical persistency  the  place  his  lips  had  touched. 

"What's  the  trouble?"  he  said,  offended.  "Star- 
tled you?  Look  here:  don't  let  us  have  any  of  that 
nonsense.  You  don't  mean  to  say  a  kiss  frightens  you 
so  much  as  all  that.  ...  I  know  better.  ...  I  don't 
mean  to  be  left  out  in  the  cold." 

He  had  been  gazing  into  her  face  with  such  strained 
intentness  that  he  could  no  longer  see  it  distinctly. 
Everything  round  him  was  rather  misty.  He  forgot 
the  overturned  stool,  caught  his  foot  against  it,  and 
lurched  forward  slightly,  saying  in  an  ingratiating  tone : 

"  I'm  not  bad  fun,  really.  You  try  a  few  kisses  to 
begin  with " 

He  said  no  more,  because  his  head  received  a  terrific 
concussion,  accompanied  by  an  explosive  sound.  Freya 
had  swung  her  round,  strong  arm  with  such  force  that 
the  impact  of  her  open  palm  on  his  flat  cheek  turned 
him  half  round.  Uttering  a  faint,  hoarse  yell,  the 
lieutenant  clapped  both  his  hands  to  the  left  side  of 


238  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

his  face,  which  had  taken  on  suddenly  a  dusky  hrick-red 
tinge.  Freya,  very  erect,  her  violet  eyes  darkened, 
her  palm  still  tingling  from  the  blow,  a  sort  of  restrained 
determined  smile  showing  a  tiny  gleam  of  her  white 
teeth,  heard  her  father's  rapid,  heavy  tread  on  the 
path  below  the  verandah.  Her  expression  lost  its 
pugnacity  and  became  sincerely  concerned.  She  was 
sorry  for  her  father.  She  stooped  quickly  to  pick  up 
the  music-stool,  as  if  anxious  to  obliterate  the  traces. 
.  .  .  But  that  was  no  good.  She  had  resumed  her 
attitude,  one  hand  resting  lightly  on  the  piano,  before 
old  Nelson  got  up  to  the  top  of  the  stairs. 

Poor  father !  How  furious  he  will  be  —  how  upset ! 
And  afterwards,  what  tremors,  what  unhappiness! 
Why  had  she  not  been  open  with  him  from  the  first? 
His  round,  innocent  stare  of  amazement  cut  her  to  the 
quick.  But  he  was  not  looking  at  her.  His  stare  was 
directed  to  Heemskirk,  who,  with  his  back  to  him  and 
with  his  hands  still  up  to  his  face,  was  hissing  curses 
through  his  teeth,  and  (she  saw  him  in  profile)  glaring 
at  her  balefuUy  with  one  black,  evil  eye. 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  "  asked  old  Nelson,  very  much 
bewildered. 

She  did  not  answer  him.  She  thought  of  Jasper  on 
the  deck  of  the  brig,  gazing  up  at  the  lighted  bungalow, 
and  she  felt  frightened.  It  was  a  mercy  that  one  of 
them  at  least  was  on  board  out  of  the  way.  She  only 
wished  he  were  a  hundred  miles  off.  And  yet  she  was 
not  certain  that  she  did.     Had  Jasper  been  mysteri- 


FKEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        239 

ously  moved  that  moment  to  reappear  on  the  verandah 
she  would  have  thrown  her  consistency,  her  firmness,  her 
self-possession,  to  the  winds,  and  flown  into  his  arms. 

"  What  is  it  ?  What  is  it  ?  "  insisted  the  unsuspect- 
ing Kelson,  getting  quite  excited.  "  Only  this  minute 
you  were  playing  a  tune,  and " 

Freya,  unahle  to  speak  in  her  apprehension  of  what 
was  coming  (she  was  also  fascinated  by  that  black, 
evil,  glaring  eye),  only  nodded  slightly  at  the  lieuten- 
ant, as  much  as  to  say :     "  Just  look  at  him !  " 

"  Why,  yes !  "  exclaimed  old  Nelson.  "  I  see.  What 
on  earth " 

Meantime  he  had  cautiously  approached  Heemskirk, 
who,  bursting  into  incoherent  imprecations,  was  stamp- 
ing with  both  feet  where  he  stood.  The  indignity  of 
the  blow,  the  rage  of  baffled  purpose,  the  ridicule  of 
the  exposure,  and  the  impossibility  of  revenge  mad- 
dened him  to  a  point  when  he  simply  felt  he  must 
howl  with  fury. 

"  Oh,  oh,  oh ! "  he  howled,  stamping  across  the 
verandah  as  though  he  meant  to  drive  his  foot  through 
the  floor  at  every  step. 

"  Why,  is  his  face  hurt  ? "  asked  the  astounded  old 
Nelson.  The  truth  dawned  suddenly  upon  his  inno- 
cent mind.  "  Dear  me ! "  he  cried,  enlightened. 
"  Get  some  brandy,  quick,  Ereya.  .  .  .  You  are  sub- 
ject to  it,  lieutenant?  Fiendish,  eh?  I  know,  I 
know!  Used  to  go  crazy  all  of  a  sudden  myself  in 
the  time.  .  .  .  And  the  little  bottle  of  laudanum  from 


240  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

the  medicine-chest,  too,  Freya.  Look  sharp.  .  .  . 
Don't  you  see  he's  got  a  toothache  ?  " 

And,  indeed,  what  other  explanation  could  have 
presented  itself  to  the  guileless  old  Nelson,  beholding 
this  cheek  nursed  with  both  hands,  these  wild  glances, 
these  stampings,  this  distracted  swaying  of  the  body? 
It  would  have  demanded  a  preternatural  acuteness  to 
hit  upon  the  true  cause.  Freya  had  not  moved.  She 
watched  Heemskirk's  savagely  inquiring,  black  stare 
directed  stealthily  upon  herself.  "  Aha,  you  would 
like  to  be  let  off !  "  she  said  to  herself.  She  looked  at 
him  unflinchingly,  thinking  it  out.  The  temptation 
of  making  an  end  of  it  all  without  further  trouble  was 
irresistible.  She  gave  an  almost  imperceptible  nod  of 
assent,  and  glided  away. 

"  Hurry  up  that  brandy !  "  old  Nelson  shouted,  as 
she  disappeared  in  the  passage. 

Heemskirk  relieved  his  deeper  feelings  by  a  sudden 
string  of  curses  in  Dutch  and  English  which  he  sent 
after  her.  He  raved  to  his  heart's  content,  flinging 
to  and  fro  the  verandah  and  kicking  chairs  out  of  his 
way;  while  Nelson  (or  Nielsen),  whose  sympathy  was 
profoundly  stirred  by  these  evidences  of  agonising 
pain,  hovered  round  his  dear  (and  dreaded)  lieutenant, 
fussing  like  an  old  hen. 

*^  Dear  me,  dear  me !  Is  it  so  bad  ?  I  know  well 
what  it  is.  I  used  to  frighten  my  poor  wife  sometimes. 
Do  you  get  it  often  like  this,  lieutenant  ? " 

Heemskirk  shouldered  him  viciously  out  of  his  way, 
with  a  short,  insane  laugh.     But  his  staggering  host 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        241 

took  it  in  good  part;  a  man  beside  himself  witli  ex- 
cruciating toothache  is  not  responsible. 

"  Go  into  mj  room,  lieutenant,"  he  suggested 
urgently.  "  Throw  yourself  on  my  bed.  We  will  get 
something  to  ease  you  in  a  minute." 

He  seized  the  poor  sufferer  by  the  arm  and  forced 
him  gently  onwards  to  the  very  bed,  on  which  Heems- 
kirk,  in  a  renewed  access  of  rage,  flung  himself  down 
with  such  force  that  he  rebounded  from  the  mattress 
to  the  height  of  quite  a  foot. 

"  Dear  me !  "  exclaimed  the  scared  Nelson,  and  in- 
continently ran  off  to  hurry  up  the  brandy  and  the 
laudanum,  very  angry  that  so  little  alacrity  was  shown 
in  relieving  the  tortures  of  his  precious  guest.  In  the 
end  he  got  these  things  himself. 

Half  an*  hour  later  he  stood  in  the  inner  passage  of 
the  house,  surprised  by  faint,  spasmodic  sounds  of  a 
mysterious  nature,  between  laughter  and  sobs.  He 
frowned;  then  went  straight  towards  his  daughter's 
room  and  knocked  at  the  door. 

Freya,  her  glorious  fair  hair  framing  her  white  face 
and  rippling  down  a  dark-blue  dressing-gown,  opened 
it  partly. 

The  light  in  the  room  was  dim.  Antonia,  crouching 
in  a  corner,  rocked  herself  backwards  and  forwards, 
uttering  feeble  moans.  Old  Nelson  had  not  much  ex- 
perience in  various  kinds  of  feminine  laughter,  but  he 
was  certain  there  had  been  laughter  there. 

"  Very  unfeeling,  very  unfeeling !  "  he  said,  with 
weighty  displeasure.     "What  is  there  so  amusing  in 


242  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

a  man  being  in  pain  ?     I  should  have  thought  a  woman 

—  a  young  girl " 

"  He  was  so  funny,"  murmured  Freya,  whose  eyes 
glistened  strangely  in  the  semi-obscurity  of  the  passage. 
"  And  then,  you  know,  I  don't  like  him,"  she  added, 
in  an  unsteady  voice. 

"  Funny ! "  repeated  old  Nelson,  amazed  at  this 
evidence  of  callousness  in  one  so  young.  *^  You  don't 
like  him !     Do  you  mean  to  say  that,  because  you  don't 

like  him,  you Why,  it's  simply  cruel!     Don't 

you  know  it's  about  the  worst  sort  of  pain  there  is? 
Dogs  have  been  known  to  go  mad  with  it." 

"  He  certainly  seemed  to  have  gone  mad,"  Freya 
said  with  an  effort,  as  if  she  were  struggling  with  some 
hidden  feeling. 

But  her  father  was  launched. 

"  And  you  know  how  he  is.  He  notices  everything. 
He  is  a  fellow  to  take  offence  for  the  least  little  thing 

—  regular  Dutchman  —  and  I  want  to  keep  friendly 
with  him.  It's  like  this,  my  girl:  if  that  rajah  of  ours 
were  to  do  something  silly  —  and  you  know  he  is  a 
sulky,  rebellious  beggar  —  and  the  authorities  took  into 
their  heads  that  my  influence  over  him  wasn't  good, 
you  would  find  yourself  without  a  roof  over  your 
head " 

She  cried :  "  What  nonsense,  father !  "  in  a  not  very 
assured  tone,  and  discovered  that  he  was  angry,  angry 
enough  to  achieve  irony;  yes,  old  Nelson  (or  Nielsen), 
irony!     Just  a  gleam  of  it. 

"  Oh,  of  course,  if  you  have  means  of  your  own  —  a 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        243 

mansion,  a  plantation  that  I  know  nothing  of " 

But  he  was  not  capable  of  sustained  irony.  "  I  tell 
you  they  would  bundle  me  out  of  here,"  he  whispered 
forcibly;  "without  compensation,  of  course.  I  know 
these  Dutch.  And  the  lieutenant's  just  the  fellow  to 
start  the  trouble  going.  ^  He  has  the  ear  of  influential 
officials.  I  wouldn't  offend  him  for  anything  —  for 
anything  —  on  no  consideration  whatever.  .  .  .  What 
did  you  say  ? " 

It  was  only  an  inarticulate  exclamation.  If  she  ever 
had  a  half -formed  intention  of  telling  him  everything  she 
had  given  it  up  now.  It  was  impossible,  both  out  of  re- 
gard for  his  dignity  and  for  the  peace  of  his  poor  mind. 

"  I  don't  care  for  him  myself  very  much,"  old  Nel- 
son's subdued  undertone  confessed  in  a  sigh.  "  He's 
easier  now,"  he  went  on,  after  a  silence.  "  I've  given 
him  up  my  bed  for  the  night.  I  shall  sleep  on  my 
verandah,  in  the  hammock.  No ;  I  can't  say  I  like  him 
either,  but  from  that  to  laugh  at  a  man  because  he's 
driven  crazy  with  pain  is  a  long  way.  You've  sur- 
prised me,  Ereya.  That  side  of  his  face  is  quite 
flushed." 

Her  shoulders  shook  convulsively  under  his  hands, 
which  he  laid  on  her  paternally.  His  straggly,  wiry 
moustache  brushed  her  forehead  in  a  good-night  kiss. 
She  closed  the  door,  and  went  away  from  it  to  the 
middle  of  the  room  before  she  allowed  herself  a  tired- 
out  sort  of  laugh,  without  buoyancy. 

"  Flushed !  A  little  flushed !  "  she  repeated  to  her- 
self.    "  I  hope  so,  indeed !     A  little " 


244  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

Her  eyelashes  were  wet.  Antonia,  in  her  comer, 
moaned  and  giggled,  and  it  was  impossible  to  tell  where 
the  moans  ended  and  the  giggles  began. 

The  mistress  and  the  maid  had  been  somewhat 
hysterical,  for  Freya,  on  fleeing  into  her  room,  had 
found  Antonia  there,  and  had  told  her  everything. 

"  I  have  avenged  you,  my  girl,"  she  exclaimed. 

And  then  they  had  laughingly  cried  and  cryingly 
laughed  with  admonitions  — "  Ssh,  not  so  loud !  Be 
quiet ! "  on  one  part,  and  interludes  of  "  I  am  so 
frightened.  .  .  .  He's  an  evil  man,"  on  the  other. 

Antonia  was  very  much  afraid  of  Heemskirk.  She 
was  afraid  of  him  because  of  his  personal  appearance: 
because  of  his  eyes  and  his  eyebrows,  and  his  mouth 
and  his  nose  and  his  limbs.  Nothing  could  be  more 
rational.  And  she  thought  him  an  evil  man,  because, 
to  her  eyes,  he  looked  evil.  No  ground  for  an  opinion 
could  be  sounder.  In  the  dimness  of  the  room,  with 
only  a  nightlight  burning  at  the  head  of  Freya's  bed, 
the  camerista  crept  out  of  her  comer  to  crouch  at  the 
feet  of  her  mistress,  supplicating  in  whispers: 

"  There's  the  brig.  Captain  Allen.  Let  us  run 
away  at  once  —  oh,  let  us  run  away !  I  am  so  fright- 
ened.    Let  us !     Let  us !  " 

"  1 1  Eun  away !  "  thought  Freya  to  herself,  with- 
out looking  down  at  the  scared  girl.     "  Never." 

Both  the  resolute  mistress  under  the  mosquito-net 
and  the  frightened  maid  lying  curled  up  on  a  mat  at 
the  foot  of  the  bed  did  not  sleep  very  well  that  night. 
The  person  that  did  not  sleep  at  all  was  Lieutenant 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        245 

Heemskirk.  He  laj  on  his  back  staring  vindictively 
in  the  darkness.  Inflaming  images  and  humiliating 
reflections  succeeded  each  other  in  his  mind,  keeping 
up,  augmenting  his  anger.  A  pretty  tale  this  to  get 
about !  But  it  must  not  be  allowed  to  get  about.  The 
outrage  had  to  be  swallowed  in  silence.  A  pretty  af- 
fair! Fooled,  led  on,  and  struck  by  the  girl  —  and 
probably  fooled  by  the  father,  too.  But  no.  Nielsen 
was  but  another  victim  of  that  shameless  hussy,  that 
brazen  minx,  that  sly,  laughing,  kissing,  lying  .  .  . 

"  No ;  he  did  not  deceive  me  on  purpose,"  thought 
the  tormented  lieutenant.  "  But  I  should  like  to  pay 
him  off,  all  the  same,  for  being  such  an  imbecile " 

Well,  some  day,  perhaps.  One  thing  he  was  firmly 
resolved  on :  he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  steal  early  out 
of  the  house.  He  did  not  think  he  could  face  the  girl 
without  going  out  of  his  mind  with  fury. 

"  Fire  and  predition !  Ten  thousand  devils !  I 
shall  choke  here  before  the  morning !  "  he  muttered 
to  himself,  lying  rigid  on  his  back  on  old  Nelson's  bed, 
his  breast  heaving  for  air. 

He  arose  at  daylight  and  started  cautiously  to 
open  the  door.  Faint  sounds  in  the  passage  alarmed 
him,  and  remaining  concealed  he  saw  Freya  coming 
out.  This  unexpected  sight  deprived  him  of  all  power 
to  move  away  from  the  crack  of  the  door.  It  was 
the  narrowest  crack  possible,  but  commanding  the  view 
of  the  end  of  the  verandah.  Freya  made  for  that  end 
hastily  to  watch  the  brig  passing  the  point.  She  wore 
her  dark  dressing-gown;  her  feet  were  bare,  because 


246  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

having  fallen  asleep  towards  the  morning,  she  ran  out 
headlong  in  her  fear  of  being  too  late.  Heemskirk 
had  never  seen  her  looking  like  this,  with  her  hair 
drawn  back  smoothly  to  the  shape  of  her  head,  and 
hanging  in  one  heavy,  fair  tress  down  her  back,  and 
with  that  air  of  extreme  youth,  intensity,  and  eager- 
ness. And  at  first  he  was  amazed,  and  then  he  gnashed 
his  teeth.  He  could  not  face  her  at  all.  He  muttered 
a  curse,  and  kept  still  behind  the  door. 

With  a  low,  deep-breathed  "  Ah !  "  when  she  first 
saw  the  brig  already  under  way,  she  reached  for 
Nelson's  long  glass  reposing  on  brackets  high  up  the 
wall.  The  wide  sleeve  of  the  dressing-gown  slipped 
back,  uncovering  her  white  arm  as  far  as  the  shoulder. 
Heemskirk  gripping  the  door-handle,  as  if  to  crush  it, 
felt  like  a  man  just  risen  to  his  feet  from  a  drinking 
bout. 

And  Freya  knew  that  he  was  watching  her.  She 
knew.  She  had  seen  the  door  move  as  she  came  out  of 
the  passage.  She  was  aware  of  his  eyes  being  on  her, 
with  scornful  bitterness,  with  triumphant  contempt. 

"You  are  there,*'  she  thought,  levelling  the  long 
glass.     "  Oh,  well,  look  on,  then !  " 

The  green  islets  appeared  like  black  shadows,  the 
ashen  sea  was  smooth  as  glass,  the  clear  robe  of  the 
colourless  dawn,  in  which  even  the  brig  appeared 
shadowy,  had  a  hem  of  light  in  the  east.  Directly 
Freya  had  made  out  Jasper  on  deck,  with  his  own  long 
glass  directed  to  the  bungalow,  she  laid  hers  down  and 
raised  both  her  beautiful  white  arms  above  her  head. 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        247 

In  that  attitude  of  supreme  cry  she  stood  still,  glowing 
with  the  consciousness  of  Jasper's  adoration  going  out 
to  her  figure  held  in  the  field  of  his  glass  away  there, 
and  w^armed,  too,  by  the  feeling  of  evil  passion,  the 
burning,  covetous  eyes  of  the  other,  fastened  on  her 
back.  In  the  fervour  of  her  love,  in  the  caprice  of  her 
mind,  and  with  that  mysterious  knowledge  of  masculine 
nature  women  seem  to  be  bom  to,  she  thought: 

"  You  are  looking  on  —  you  will  —  you  must ! 
Then  you  shall  see  something." 

She  brought  both  her  hands  to  her  lips,  then  flung 
them  out,  sending  a  kiss  over  the  sea,  as  if  she  wanted 
to  throw  her  heart  along  with  it  on  the  deck  of  the  brig. 
Her  face  was  rosy,  her  eyes  shone.  Her  repeated,  pas- 
sionate gesture  seemed  to  fling  kisses  by  the  hundred 
again  and  again  and  again,  while  the  slowly  ascending 
sun  brought  the  glory  of  colour  to  the  world,  turning 
the  islets  green,  the  sea  blue,  the  brig  below  her  white 
—  dazzlingly  white  in  the  spread  of  her  wings  —  with 
the  red  ensign  streaming  like  a  tiny  flame  from  the 
peak.  And  each  time  she  murmured  with  a  rising  in- 
flexion :     "  Take  this  —  and  this  —  and  this ''  till 

suddenly  her  arms  fell.  She  had  seen  the  ensign 
dipped  in  response,  and  next  moment  the  point  below 
hid  the  hull  of  the  brig  from  her  view.  Then  she 
turned  away  from  the  balustrade,  and,  passing  slowly 
before  the  door  vi  her  father's  room  with  her  eyelids 
lowered,  and  an  enigmatic  expression  on  her  face,  she 
disappeared  behind  the  curtain. 

But  instead  of  going  along  the  passage,  she  remained 


248  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

concealed  and  very  still  on  the  other  side  to  watch 
what  would  happen.  For  some  time  the  broad,  fur- 
nished verandah  remained  empty.  Then  the  door  of 
old  Nelson's  room  came  open  suddenly,  and  Heems- 
kirk  staggered  out.  His  hair  was  rumpled,  his  eyes 
bloodshot,  his  unshaven  face  looked  very  dark.  He 
gazed  wildly  about,  saw  his  cap  on  a  table,  snatched  it 
up,  and  made  for  the  stairs,  quietly,  but  with  a  strange, 
tottering  gait,  like  the  last  effort  of  waning  strength. 

Shortly  after  his  head  had  sunk  below  the  level  of 
the  floor,  Freya  came  out  from  behind  the  curtain, 
with  compressed,  scheming  lips,  and  no  softness  at  all 
in  her  luminous  eyes.  He  could  not  be  allowed  to 
sneak  off  scot  free.  Never  —  never  I  She  was  excited, 
she  tingled  all  over,  she  had  tasted  blood!  He  must 
be  made  to  understand  that  she  had  been  aware  of 
having  been  watched;  he  must  know  that  he  had  been 
seen  slinking  off  shamefully.  But  to  run  to  the  front 
rail  and  shout  after  him  would  have  been  childish, 
crude  —  undignified.  And  to  shout  —  what  ?  What 
word?  What  phrase?  No;  it  was  impossible.  Then 
how?  .  .  .  She  frowned,  discovered  it,  dashed  at  the 
piano,  which  had  stood  open  all  night,  and  made  Ihe 
rosewood  monster  growl  savagely  in  an  irritated  bass. 
She  struck  chords  as  if  firing  shots  after  that  straddling, 
broad  figure  in  ample  white  trousers  and  a  dark 
uniform  jacket  with  gold  shoulder-straps,  and  then 
she  pursued  him  with  the  same  thing  she  had  played 
the  evening  before  —  a  modern,  fierce  piece  of  love 
music  whicli  had  been  tried  more  than  once  against 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVE:^  ISLES        249 

the  thunderstorms  of  the  group.  She  accentuated  its 
rhythm  with  triumphant  malice,  so  absorbed  in  her 
purpose  that  she  did  not  notice  the  presence  of  her 
father,  who,  wearing  an  old  threadbare  ulster  of  a 
check  pattern  over  his  sleeping  suit,  had  run  out  from 
the  back  verandah  to  inquire  the  reason  of  this  untimely 
performance.     He  stared  at  her. 

"  What  on  earth  ?  .  .  .  Ereya !  "  .  .  .  His  voice 
was  nearly  drowned  by  the  piano.  "  What's  become 
of  the  lieutenant  ? "  he  shouted. 

She  looked  up  at  him  as  if  her  soul  were  lost  in  her 
music,  with  unseeing  eyes. 

"  Gone." 

"Wha-a-t?  .  .  .  Where?" 

She  shook  her  head  slightly,  and  went  on  playing 
louder  than  before.  Old  ISTelson's  innocently  anxious 
gaze  starting  from  the  open  door  of  his  room,  explored 
the  whole  place  high  and  low,  as  if  the  lieutenant  were 
something  small  which  might  have  been  crawling  on 
the  floor  or  clinging  to  a  wall.  But  a  shrill  whistle 
coming  somewhere  from  below  pierced  the  ample 
volume  of  sound  rolling  out  of  the  piano  in  great, 
vibrating  waves.  The  lieutenant  was  down  at  the 
cove,  whistling  for  the  boat  to  come  and  take  him  off 
to  his  ship.  And  he  seemed  to  be  in  a  terrific  hurry, 
too,  for  he  whistled  again  almost  directly,  waited  for 
a  moment,  and  then  sent  out  a  long,  interminable,  shrill 
call  as  distressful  to  hear  as  though  he  had  shrieked 
without  drawing  breath.  Ereya  ceased  playing  sud- 
denly. 


250  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

"  Going  on  board,"  said  old  Nelson,  perturbed  by 
the  event.  "  What  could  have  made  him  clear  out 
so  early?  Queer  chap.  Devilishly  touchy,  too!  I 
shouldn't  wonder  if  it  was  your  conduct  last  night  that 
hurt  his  feelings  ?  I  noticed  you,  Freya.  You  as  well 
as  laughed  in  his  face,  while  he  was  suffering  agonies 
from  neuralgia.  It  isn't  the  way  to  get  yourself  liked. 
He's  offended  with  you." 

Freya's  hands  now  reposed  passive  on  the  keys; 
she  bowed  her  fair  head,  feeling  a  sudden  discontent, 
a  nervous  lassitude,  as  though  she  had  passed  through 
some  exhausting  crisis.  Old  Nelson  (or  Nielsen),  look- 
ing aggrieved,  was  revolving  matters  of  policy  in  his 
bald  head. 

"  I  think  it  would  be  right  for  me  to  go  on  board 
just  to  inquire,  some  time  this  morning,"  he  declared 
fussily.  "  Why  don't  they  bring  me  my  morning  tea  ? 
Do  you  hear,  Freya  ?  You  have  astonished  me,  I  must 
say.  I  didn't  think  a  young  girl  could  be  so  unfeeling. 
And  the  lieutenant  thinks  himself  a  friend  of  ours,  too ! 
What?  No?  Well,  he  calls  himself  a  friend,  and 
that's  something  to  a  person  in  my  position.  Cer- 
tainly!    Oh,  yes,  I  must  go  on  board." 

"  Must  you  ? "  murmured  Freya  listlessly ;  then 
added,  in  her  thought :     "  Poor  man  I  " 

In  respect  of  the  next  seven  weeks,  all  that  is  necessary 
to  say  is,  first,  that  old  Nelson  (or  Nielsen)  failed  in 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        251 

paying  his  politic  call.  The  Neptun  gunboat  of  H.M. 
the  King  of  the  Netherlands,  commanded  by  an  out- 
raged and  infuriated  lieutenant,  left  the  cove  at  an 
unexpectedly  early  hour.  When  Freya's  father  came 
down  to  the  shore,  after  seeing  his  precious  crop  of 
tobacco  spread  out  properly  in  the  sun,  she  was  already 
steaming  round  the  point.  Old  Nelson  regretted  the 
circumstance  for  many  days. 

"  Now,  I  don't  know  in  what  disposition  the  man 
went  away,"  he  lamented  to  his  hard  daughter.  He 
was  amazed  at  her  hardness.  He  was  almost  fright- 
ened by  her  indifference. 

Next,  it  must  be  recorded  that  the  same  day  the 
gunboat  Neptun,  steering  east,  passed  the  brig  Bonito 
becalmed  in  sight  of  Carimata,  with  her  head  to  the 
eastward,  too.  Her  captain,  Jasper  Allen,  giving  him- 
self up  consciously  to  a  tender,  possessive  reverie  of  his 
Freya,  did  not  get  out  of  his  long  chair  on  the  poop  to 
look  at  the  Neptun  which  passed  so  close  that  the 
smoke  belching  out  suddenly  from  her  short  black 
funnel  rolled  between  the  masts  of  the  Bonito,  obscuring 
for  a  moment  the  sunlit  whiteness  of  her  sails,  con- 
secrated to  the  service  of  love.  Jasper  did  not  even 
turn  his  head  for  a  glance.  But  Heemskirk,  on  the 
bridge,  had  gazed  long  and  earnestly  at  the  brig  from 
the  distance,  gripping  hard  the  brass  rail  in  front  of 
him,  till,  the  two  ships  closing,  he  lost  all  confidence  in 
himself,  and  retreating  to  the  chartroom,  pulled  the 
door  to  with  a  crash.  There,  his  brows  knitted,  his 
mouth  drawn  on  one  side  in  sardonic  meditation,  he 


262  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

sat  through  many  still  hours  —  a  sort  of  Prometheus  in 
the  bonds  of  unholy  desire,  having  his  very  vitals  torn 
by  the  beak  and  claws  of  humiliated  passion. 

That  species  of  fowl  is  not  to  be  shooed  off  as  easily 
as  a  chicken.  Fooled,  cheated,  deceived,  led  on,  out- 
raged, mocked  at  —  beak  and  claws !  A  sinister  bird  I 
The  lieutenant  had  no  mind  to  become  the  talk  of  the 
Archipelago,  as  the  naval  oflficer  who  had  had  his  face 
slapped  by  a  girl.  Was  it  possible  that  she  really 
loved  that  rascally  trader?  He  tried  not  to  think, 
but,  worse  than  thoughts,  definite  impressions  beset 
him  in  his  retreat.  He  saw  her  —  a  vision  plain,  close 
to,  detailed,  plastic,  coloured,  lighted  up  —  he  saw  her 
hanging  round  the  neck  of  that  fellow.  And  he  shut 
his  eyes,  only  to  discover  that  this  was  no  remedy. 
Then  a  piano  began  to  play  near  by,  very  plainly ;  and 
he  put  his  fingers  to  his  ears  with  no  better  effect.  It 
was  not  to  be  borne  —  not  in  solitude.  He  bolted  out 
of  the  chartroom,  and  talked  of  indifferent  things  some- 
what wildly  with  the  oflScer  of  the  watch  on  the  bridge, 
to  the  mocking  accompaniment  of  a  ghostly  piano. 

The  last  thing  to  be  recorded  is  that  Lieutenant 
Heemskirk  instead  of  pursuing  his  course  towards 
Temate,  where  he  was  expected,  went  out  of  his  way 
to  call  at  Makassar,  where  no  one  was  looking  for  his 
arrival.  Once  there,  he  gave  certain  explanations  and 
laid  a  certain  proposal  before  the  governor,  or  some 
other  authority,  and  obtained  permission  to  do  what 
he  thought  fit  in  these  matters.  Thereupon  the 
Neptun,  giving  up  Temate  altogether,  steamed  north 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVE:^[  ISLES        253 

in  view  of  tlie  mountainous  coast  of  Celebes,  and  then 
crossing  the  broad  straits  took  up  her  station  on  the 
low  coast  of  virgin  forests,  inviolate  and  mute,  in 
waters  phosphorescent  at  night,  deep  blue  in  daytime 
with  gleaming  green  patches  over  the  submerged  reefs. 
For  days  the  Neptun  could  be  seen  moving  smoothly 
up  and  down  the  sombre  face  of  the  shore,  or  hanging 
about  with  a  Watchful  air  near  the  silvery  breaks  of 
broad  estuaries,  under  the  great  luminous  sky  never 
softened,  never  veiled,  and  flooding  the  earth  with  the 
everlasting  sunshine  of  the  tropics  —  that  sunshine 
which,  in  its  unbroken  splendour,  oppresses  the  soul 
with  an  inexpressible  melancholy  more  intimate,  more 
penetrating,  more  profound  than  the  grey  sadness  of 
the  northern  mists. 

The  trading  brig  Boniio  appeared  gliding  round  a 
sombre  forest-clad  point  of  land  on  the  silvery  estuary 
of  a  great  river.  The  breath  of  air  that  gave  her 
motion  would  not  have  fluttered  the  flame  of  a  torch. 
She  stole  out  into  the  open  from  behind  a  veil  of  un- 
stirring  leaves,  mysteriously  silent,  ghostly  white,  and 
solemnly  stealthy  in  her  imperceptible  progress;  and 
Jasper,  his  elbow  in  the  main  rigging,  and  his  head 
leaning  against  his  hand,  thought  of  Freya.  Every- 
thing in  the  world  reminded  him  of  her.  The  beauty 
3f  the  loved  woman  exists  in  the  beauties  of  Nature. 
The  swelling  outlines  of  the  hills,  the  curves  of  a  coast, 
the  free  sinuosities  of  a  river  are  less  suave  than  the 
barmonious  lines  of  her  body,   and  when  she  moves. 


254  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

gliding  lightly,  the  grace  of  her  progress  suggests  the 
power  of  occult  forces  which  rule  the  fascinating  as- 
pects of  the  visible  world. 

Dependent  on  things  as  all  men  are,  Jasper  loved  his 
vessel  —  the  house  of  his  dreams.  He  lent  to  her  some- 
thing of  Freya's  soul.  Her  deck  was  the  foothold  of 
their  love.  The  possession  of  his  brig  appeased  his 
passion  in  a  soothing  certitude  of  happiness  already 
conquered. 

The  full  moon  was  some  way  up,  perfect  and  serene, 
floating  in  air  as  calm  and  limpid  as  the  glance  of 
Freya's  eyes.     There  was  not  a  sound  in  the  brig. 

"  Here  she  shall  stand,  by  my  side,  on  evenings  like 
this,"  he  thought,  with  rapture. 

And  it  was  at  that  moment,  in  this  peace,  in  this 
serenity,  under  the  full,  benign  gaze  of  the  moon  pro- 
pitious to  lovers,  on  a  sea  without  a  wrinkle,  under  a 
sky  without  a  cloud,  as  if  all  Nature  had  assumed  its 
most  clement  mood  in  a  spirit  of  mockery,  that  the 
gunboat  Neptun,  detaching  herself  from  the  dark  coast 
under  which  she  had  been  lying  invisible,  steamed  out 
to  intercept  the  trading  brig  Bonito  standing  out  to 
sea. 

Directly  the  gunboat  had  been  made  out  emerging 
from  her  ambush,  Schultz,  of  the  fascinating  voice,  had 
given  signs  of  strange  agitation.  All  that  day,  ever 
since  leaving  the  Malay  town  up  the  river,  he  had 
shown  a  haggard  face,  going  about  his  duties  like  a 
man  with  something  weighing  on  his  mind.  Jasper 
had  noticed  it,  but  the  mate,  turning  away,  as  though 


FKEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        255 

he  had  not  liked  being  looked  at,  had  muttered  shame- 
facedly of  a  headache  and  a  touch  of  fever.  He  must 
have  had  it  very  badly  when,  dodging  behind  his  cap- 
tain, he  wondered  aloud :  "  What  can  that  fellow 
want  with  us?"  .  .  .  A  naked  man  standing  in  a 
freezing  blast  and  trying  not  to  shiver  could  not  have 
spoken  with  a  more  harshly  uncertain  intonation.  But 
it  might  have  been  fever  —  a  cold  fit. 

"  He  wants  to  make  himself  disagreeable,  simply," 
said  Jasper,  with  perfect  good  humour.  "  He  has  tried 
it  on  me  before.     However,  we  shall  soon  see." 

And,  indeed,  before  long  the  two  vessels  lay  abreast 
within  easy  hail.  The  brig,  with  her  fine  lines  and  her 
white  sails,  looked  vaporous  and  sylph-like  in  the 
moonlight.  The  gunboat,  short,  squat,  with  her 
stumpy  dark  spars  naked  like  dead  trees,  raised  against 
the  luminous  sky  of  that  resplendent  night,  threw  a 
heavy  shadow  on  the  lane  of  water  between  the  two 
ships. 

Freya  haunted  them  both  like  an  ubiquitous  spirit, 
and  as  if  she  were  the  only  woman  in  the  world, 
Jasper  remembered  her  earnest  recommendation  to  be 
guarded  and  cautious  in  all  his  acts  and  words  while 
he  was  away  from  her.  In  this  quite  unforeseen  en- 
counter he  felt  on  his  ear  the  very  breath  of  these 
hurried  admonitions  customary  to  the  last  moment  of 
their  partings,  heard  the  half-jesting  final  whisper  of 
the  "  Mind,  kid,  I'd  never  forgive  you !  "  with  a  quick 
pressure  on  his  arm,  which  he  answered  by  a  quiet, 
confident  smile.     Heemskirk  was  haunted  in  another 


266  'TWIXT  LAND  A:^D  SEA 

fashion.  There  were  no  whispers  in  it,  it  was  more 
like  visions.  He  saw  that  girl  hanging  round  the  neck 
of  a  low  vagabond  —  that  vagabond,  the  vagabond  who 
had  just  answered  his  hail.  He  saw  her  stealing  bare- 
footed across  a  verandah  with  great,  clear,  wide-open, 
eager  eyes  to  look  at  a  brig  —  that  brig.  If  she  had 
shrieked,  scolded,  called  names!  .  .  .  But  she  had 
simply  triumphed  over  him.  That  was  all.  Led  on 
(he  firmly  believed  it),  fooled,  deceived,  outraged, 
struck,  mocked  at.  .  .  .  Beak  and  claws!  The  two 
men,  so  differently  haunted  by  Freya  of  the  Seven 
Isles,  were  not  equally  matched. 

In  the  intense  stillness,  as  of  sleep,  which  had  fallen 
upon  the  two  vessels,  in  a  world  that  itself  seemed  but 
a  delicate  dream,  a  boat  pulled  by  Javanese  sailors 
crossing  the  dark  lane  of  water  came  alongside  the  brig. 
The  white  warrant  officer  in  her,  perhaps  the  gunner, 
climbed  aboard.  He  was  a  short  man,  with  a  rotund 
stomach  and  a  wheezy  voice.  His  immovable  fat  face 
looked  lifeless  in  the  moonlight,  and  he  walked  with  his 
thick  arms  hanging  away  from  his  body  as  though  he 
had  been  stuffed.  His  cunning  little  eyes  glittered  like 
bits  of  mica.  He  conveyed  to  Jasper,  in  broken  Eng- 
lish, a  request  to  come  on  board  the  Neptun, 

Jasper  had  not  expected  anything  so  unusual.  But 
after  a  short  reflection  he  decided  to  show  neither  an- 
noyance, nor  even  surprise.  The  river  from  which 
he  had  come  had  been  politically  disturbed  for  a  couple 
of  years,  and  he  was  aware  that  his  visits  there  were 
looked  upon  with  some  suspicion.     But  he  did  not 


FKEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        257 

mind  mucli  the  displeasure  of  the  authorities,  so 
terrifying  to  old  Nelson.  He  prepared  to  leave  the 
brig,  and  Schultz  followed  him  to  the  rail  as  if  to  say 
something,  but  in  the  end  stood  by  in  silence.  Jasper 
getting  over  the  side,  noticed  his  ghastly  face.  The 
eyes  of  the  man  who  had  found  salvation  in  the  brig 
from  the  effects  of  his  peculiar  psychology  looked  at 
him  with  a  dumb,  beseeching  expression. 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  "  Jasper  asked. 

"  I  wonder  how  this  will  end  ? "  said  he  of  the  beauti- 
ful voice,  which  had  even  fascinated  the  steady  Ereya 
herself.  But  where  was  its  charming  timbre  now? 
These  words  had  sounded  like  a  raven's  croak. 

"You  are  ill,"  said  Jasper  positively. 

"  I  wish  I  were  dead !  "  was  the  startling  statement 
uttered  by  Schultz  talking  to  himself  in  the  extremity 
of  some  mysterious  trouble.  Jasper  gave  him  a  keen 
glance,  but  this  was  not  the  time  to  investigate  the 
morbid  outbreak  of  a  feverish  man.  He  did  not  look 
as  though  he  were  actually  delirious,  and  that  for  the 
moment  must  suflSce.     Schultz  made  a  dart  forward. 

"  That  fellow  means  harm !  "  he  said  desperately. 
"  He  means  harm  to  you,  Captain  Allen.  I  feel  it, 
and  I " 

He  choked  with  inexplicable  emotion. 

"  All  right,  Schultz.  I  won't  give  him  an  opening." 
Jasper  cut  him  short  and  swung  himself  into  the  boat. 

On  board  the  Neptun  Heemskirk,  standing  straddle- 
legs  in  the  flood  of  moonlight,  his  inky  shadow  falling 
right  across  the  quarter-deck,  made  no  sign  at  his  ap- 


258  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

proach,  but  secretly  he  felt  something  like  the  heave 
of  the  sea  in  his  chest  at  the  sight  of  that  man.  Jasper 
waited  before  him  in  silenca 

Brought  face  to  face  in  direct  personal  contact, 
they  fell  at  once  into  the  manner  of  their  casual  meet- 
ings in  old  Nelson's  bungalow.  They  ignored  each 
other's  existence  —  Ileemskirk  moodily ;  Jasper,  with  a 
perfectly  colourless  quietness. 

"  What's  going  on  in  that  river  you've  just  come  out 
of?"  asked  the  lieutenant  straight  away. 

"  I  know  nothing  of  the  troubles,  if  you  mean  that," 
Jasper  answered.  "  I've  landed  there  half  a  cargo  of 
rice,  for  which  I  got  nothing  in  exchange,  and  went 
away.  There's  no  trade  there  now,  but  they  would 
have  been  starving  in  another  week  if  I  hadn't  turned 
up." 

"  Meddling !  English  meddling !  And  suppose  the 
rascals  don't  deserve  anything  better  than  to  starve, 
eh?" 

"  There  are  women  and  children  there,  you  know," 
observed  Jasper,  in  his  even  tone. 

"  Oh,  yes !  When  an  Englishman  talks  of  women 
and  children,  you  may  be  sure  there's  something  fishy 
about  the  business.  Your  doings  will  have  to  be  in- 
vestigated." 

They  spoke  in  turn,  as  though  they  had  been  dis- 
embodied spirits  —  mere  voices  in  empty  air ;  for  they 
looked  at  each  other  as  if  there  had  been  nothing  there, 
or,  at  most,  with  as  much  recognition  as  one  gives  to 


FKEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        269 

an  inanimate  object,  and  no  more.  But  now  a  silence 
fell.  Heemskirk  had  thought,  all  at  once :  "  She  will 
tell  him  all  about  it.  She  will  tell  him  while  she  hangs 
round  his  neck  laughing."  And  the  sudden  desire  to 
annihilate  Jasper  on  the  spot  almost  deprived  him  of 
his  senses  by  its  vehemence.  He  lost  the  power  of 
speech,  of  vision.  Eor  a  moment  he  absolutely  couldn't 
see  Jasper.  But  he  heard  him  inquiring,  as  of  the 
world  at  large : 

"  Am  I,  then,  to  conclude  that  the  brig  is  detained  ?  " 

Heemskirk  made  a  recovery  in  a  flush  of  malignant 
satisfaction. 

^'  She  is.  I  am  going  to  take  her  to  Makassar  in 
tow." 

"  The  courts  will  have  to  decide  on  the  legality  of 
this,"  said  Jasper,  aware  that  the  matter  was  becoming 
serious,  but  with  assumed  indifference. 

"  Oh,  yes,  the  courts !  Certainly.  And  as  to  you, 
I  shall  keep  you  on  board  here." 

Jasper's  dismay  at  being  parted  from  his  ship  was 
betrayed  by  a  stony  immobility.  It  lasted  but  an  in- 
stant. Then  he  turned  away  and  hailed  the  brig.  Mr. 
Schultz  answered: 

"  Yes,  sir." 

*^  Get  ready  to  receive  a  tow-rope  from  the  gunboat ! 
We  are  going  to  be  taken  to  Makassar." 

"  Good  God !  What's  that  for,  sir  ?  "  came  an  anx- 
ious cry  faintly. 

"  Kindness,    I   suppose,"    Jasper,    ironical,    shouted 


260  'TWIXT  LAITB  AND  SEA 

■with  great  deliberation.  "We  might  have  been  —  be- 
calmed in  here  —  for  days.  And  hospitality.  I  am 
invited  to  stay  —  on  board  here." 

The  ansvrer  to  this  information  was  a  loud  ejacula- 
tion of  distress.  Jasper  thought  anxiously :  "  Why, 
the  fellow's  nerve's  gone  to  pieces ; "  and  with  an 
awkward  uneasiness  of  a  new  sort,  looked  intently  at 
the  brig.  The  thought  that  he  was  parted  from  her  — 
for  the  first  time  since  they  came  together  —  shook  the 
apparently  careless  fortitude  of  his  character  to  its  very 
foundations,  which  were  deep.  All  that  time  neither 
Heemskirk  nor  even  his  inky  shadow  had  stirred  in 
the  least. 

"  I  am  going  to  send  a  boat's  crew  and  an  officer 
on  board  your  vessel,"  he  announced  to  no  one  in 
particular.  Jasper,  tearing  himself  away  from  the 
absorbed  contemplation  of  the  brig,  turned  round,  and, 
without  passion,  almost  without  expression  in  his  voice, 
entered  his  protest  against  the  whole  of  the  proceedings. 
What  he  was  thinking  of  was  the  delay.  He  counted 
the  days.  Makassar  was  actually  on  his  way;  and  to 
be  towed  there  really  saved  time.  On  the  other  hand, 
there  would  be  some  vexing  formalities  to  go  through. 
But  the  thing  was  too  absurd.  "  The  beetle's  gone 
mad,"  he  thought.  "  I'll  be  released  at  once.  And  if 
not,  Mesman  must  enter  into  a  bond  for  me."  Mesman 
was  a  Dutch  merchant  with  whom  Jasper  had  had 
many  dealings,  a  considerable  person  in  Makassar. 

"  You  protest  ?  H'm !  "  Heemskirk  muttered,  and 
for  a  little  longer  remained  motionless,  his  legs  planted 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        261 

well  part,  and  his  head  lowered  as  though  he  were 
studying  his  own  comical,  deeply-split  shadow.  Then 
he  made  a  sign  to  the  rotund  gunner,  who  had  kept  at 
hand,  motionless,  like  a  vilely-stuffed  specimen  of  a 
fat  man,  with  a  lifeless  face  and  glittering  little  eyes. 
The  fellow  approached,  and  stood  at  attention. 

"  You  will  board  the  brig  with  a  boat's  crew ! " 

"  Ya,  mynherr !  " 

"  You  will  have  one  of  your  men  to  steer  her  all 
the  time,"  went  on  Heemskirk,  giving  his  orders  in 
English,  apparently  for  Jasper's  edification.  "  You 
hear?" 

"  Ya,  mynherr." 

"  You  will  remain  on  deck  and  in  charge  all  the 
time." 

"  Ya,  mynherr." 

Jasper  felt  as  if,  together  with  the  command  of  the 
brig,  his  very  heart  were  being  taken  out  of  his  breast. 
Heemskirk  asked,  with  a  change  of  tone : 

"  What  weapons  have  you  on  board  ?  " 

At  one  time  all  the  ships  trading  in  the  China  Seas 
had  a  licence  to  carry  a  certain  quantity  of  firearms  for 
purposes  of  defence.     Jasper  answered; 

"  Eighteen  rifles  with  their  bayonets,  which  were  on 
board  when  I  bought  her,  four  years  ago.  They  have 
been  declared." 

"  Where  are  they  kept  ? " 

"  Fore-cabin.     Mate  has  the  key." 

"  You  will  take  possession  of  them,"  said  Heems- 
kirk to  the  gunner. 


262  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

"  Ya,  mynherr." 

"  What  is  this  for  ?  What  do  you  mean  to  imply  ? " 
cried  out  Jasper ;  then  bit  his  lip.  "  It's  monstrous !  " 
he  muttered. 

Heemskirk  raised  for  a  moment  a  heavy,  as  if  suffer- 
ing, glance. 

"  You  may  go,"  he  said  to  his  gunner.  The  fat  man 
saluted,  and  departed. 

During  the  next  thirty  hours  the  steady  towing  was 
interrupted  once.  At  a  signal  from  the  brig,  made  by 
waving  a  flag  on  the  forecastle,  the  gunboat  was 
stopped.  The  badly-stuffed  specimen  of  a  warrant- 
oflBcer,  getting  into  his  boat,  arrived  on  board  the 
Neptun  and  hurried  straight  into  his  commander's 
cabin,  his  excitement  at  something  he  had  to  com- 
municate being  betrayed  by  the  blinking  of  his  small 
eyes.  These  two  were  closeted  together  for  some  time, 
while  Jasper  at  the  taffrail  tried  to  make  out  if  any- 
thing out  of  the  common  had  occurred  on  board  the  brig. 
But  nothing  seemed  to  be  amiss  on  board.  However, 
he  kept  a  look-out  for  the  gunner;  and,  though  he  had 
avoided  speaking  to  anybody  since  he  had  finished 
with  Heemskirk,  he  stopped  that  man  when  he  came 
out  on  deck  again  to  ask  how  his  mate  was. 

"  He  was  feeling  not  very  well  when  I  left,"  he  ex- 
plained. 

The  fat  warrant-officer,  holding  himself  as  though 
the  effort  of  carrying  his  big  stomach  in  front  of  him 
demanded  a  rigid  carriage,  understood  with  difficulty. 
Not  a  single  one  of  his  features  showed  the  slightest 


FKEYA  OF  THE  SEYEN^  ISLES        263 

animation,  but  his  little  eyes  blinked  rapidly  at  last. 

"  Oh,  ya !  The  mate.  Ya,  ya !  He  is  very  well. 
But,  mein  Gott,  he  is  one  very  funny  man !  " 

Jasper  could  get  no  explanation  of  that  remark,  be- 
cause the  Dutchman  got  into  the  boat  hurriedly,  and 
went  back  on  board  the  brig.  But  he  consoled  him- 
self with  the  thought  that  very  soon  all  this  unpleas- 
ant and  rather  absurd  experience  would  be  over.  The 
roadstead  of  Makassar  was  in  sight  already.  Heems- 
kirk  passed  by  him  going  on  the  bridge.  For  the  first 
time  the  lieutenant  looked  at  Jasper  with  marked  in- 
tention; and  the  strange  roll  of  his  eyes  was  so  funny 
—  it  had  been  long  agreed  by  Jasper  and  Freya  that 
the  lieutenant  was  funny  —  so  ecstatically  gratified, 
as  though  he  were  rolling  a  tasty  morsel  on  his  tongue, 
that  Jasper  could  not  help  a  broad  smile.  And  then 
he  turned  to  his  brig  again. 

To  see  her,  his  cherished  possession,  animated  by 
something  of  his  Freya's  soul,  the  only  foothold  of  two 
lives  on  the  wide  earth,  the  security  of  his  passion,  the 
companion  of  adventure,  the  power  to  snatch  the  calm, 
adorable  Freya  to  his  breast,  and  carry  her  off  to  the 
end  of  the  world ;  to  see  this  beautiful  thing  embodying 
worthily  his  pride  and  his  love,  to  see  her  captive  at 
the  end  of  a  tow-rope  was  not  indeed  a  pleasant  ex- 
perience. It  had  something  nightmarish  in  it,  as,  for 
instance,  the  dream  of  a  wild  sea-bird  loaded  with 
chains. 

Yet  what  else  could  he  want  to  look  at  ?  Her  beauty 
would  sometimes  come  to  his  heart  with  the  force  of 


264  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

a  spell,  so  that  he  would  forget  where  he  was.  And, 
besides,  that  sense  of  superiority  which  the  certitude 
of  being  loved  gives  to  a  young  man,  that  illusion  of 
being  set  above  the  Fates  by  a  tender  look  in  a  woman's 
eyes,  helped  him,  the  first  shock  over,  to  go  through 
these  experiences  with  an  amused  self-confidence.  For 
what  evil  could  touch  the  elect  of  Freya? 

It  was  now  afternoon,  the  sun  being  behind  the  two 
vessels  as  they  headed  for  the  harbour.  "  The  beetle's 
little  joke  shall  soon  be  over,"  thought  Jasper,  without 
any  great  animosity.  As  a  seaman  well  acquainted 
with  that  part  of  the  world,  a  casual  glance  was  enough 
to  tell  him  what  was  being  done.  "  Hallo,''  he  thought, 
"  he  is  going  through  Spermonde  Passage.  We  shall 
be  rounding  Tamissa  reef  presently."  And  again  he 
returned  to  the  contemplation  of  his  brig,  that  main- 
stay of  his  material  and  emotional  existence  which 
would  be  soon  in  his  hands  again.  On  a  sea,  calm  like 
a  millpond,  a  heavy  smooth  ripple  undulated  and 
streamed  away  from  her  bows,  for  the  powerful  Neptun 
was  towing  at  great  speed,  as  if  for  a  wager.  The 
Dutch  gunner  appeared  on  the  forecastle  of  the  Bonito, 
and  with  him  a  couple  of  men.  They  stood  looking  at 
the  coast,  and  Jasper  lost  himself  in  a  loverlike  trance. 

The  deep-toned  blast  of  the  gunboat's  steam-whistle 
made  him  shudder  by  its  unexpectedness.  Slowly  he 
looked  about.  Swift  as  lightning  he  leaped  from  where 
he  stood,  bounding  forward  along  the  deck. 

"  You  will  be  on  Tamissa  reef !  "  he  yelled. 

High  up  on  the  bridge  Heemskirk  looked  back  over 


FKEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        265 

his  shoulder  heavily;  two  seamen  were  spinning  the 
wheel  round,  and  the  Neptun  was  already  swinging 
rapidly  away  from  the  edge  of  the  pale  water  over  the 
danger.  Ha !  Just  in  time.  Jasper  turned  about  in- 
stantly to  watch  his  brig;  and,  even  before  he  realised 
that  —  in  obedience,  it  appears,  to  HeemskirFs  or- 
ders given  beforehand  to  the  gunner  —  the  tow-rope 
had  been  let  go  at  the  blast  of  the  whistle,  before  he 
had  time  to  cry  out  or  to  move  a  limb,  he  saw  her 
cast  adrift  and  shooting  across  the  gunboat's  stern 
with  the  impetus  of  her  speed.  He  followed  her  fine, 
gliding  form  with  eyes  growing  big  with  incredulity, 
wild  with  horror.  The  cries  on  board  of  her  came  to 
him  only  as  a  dreadful  and  confused  murmur  through 
the  loud  thumping  of  blood  in  his  ears,  while  she  held 
on.  She  ran  upright  in  a  terrible  display  of  her  gift 
of  speed,  with  an  incomparable  air  of  life  and  grace. 
She  ran  on  till  the  smooth  level  of  water  in  front  of 
her  bows  seemed  to  sink  down  suddenly  as  if  sucked 
away;  and,  with  a  strange,  violent  tremor  of  her  mast- 
heads she  stopped,  inclined  her  lofty  spars  a  little,  and 
lay  still.  She  lay  still  on  the  reef,  while  the  Neptun, 
fetching  a  wide  circle,  continued  at  full  speed  up 
Spermonde  Passage,  heading  for  the  toT\Ti.  She  lay 
still,  perfectly  still,  with  something  ill-omened  and  un- 
natural in  her  attitude.  In  an  instant  the  subtle 
melancholy  of  things  touched  by  decay  had  fallen  on 
her  in  the  sunshine ;  she  was  but  a  speck  in  the  brilliant 
emptiness  of  space,  already  lonely,  already  desolate. 
"  Hold  him ! ''  yelled  a  voice  from  the  bridge. 


266  'TWIXT  LAN'D  AND  SEA 

Jasper  had  started  to  run  to  his  brig  with  a  headlong 
impulse,  as  a  man  dashes  forward  to  pull  away  with 
his  hands  a  living,  breathing,  loved  creature  from  the 
brink  of  destruction.  "  Hold  him  I  Stick  to  him !  " 
vociferated  the  lieutenant  at  the  top  of  the  bridge- 
ladder,  while  Jasper  struggled  madly  without  a  word, 
only  his  head  emerging  from  the  heaving  crowd  of  the 
Neptun's  seamen,  who  had  flung  themselves  upon  him 
obediently.  "  Hold I  would  not  have  that  fel- 
low drown  himself  for  anything  now !  " 

Jasper  ceased  struggling. 

One  by  one  they  let  go  of  him ;  they  fell  back  gradu- 
ally farther  and  farther,  in  attentive  silence,  leaving 
him  standing  unsupported  in  a  widened,  clear  space, 
as  if  to  give  him  plenty  of  room  to  fall  after  the  strug- 
gle. He  did  not  even  sway  perceptibly.  Half  an 
hour  later,  when  the  Neptun  anchored  in  front  of  the 
town,  he  had  not  stirred  yet,  had  moved  neither  head 
nor  limb  as  much  as  a  hair's  breadth.  Directly  the 
rumble  of  the  gunboat's  cable  had  ceased,  Heemskirk 
came  down  heavily  from  the  bridge. 

"  Call  a  sampan,"  he  said,  in  a  gloomy  tone,  as  he 
passed  the  sentry  at  the  gangway,  and  then  moved  on 
slowly  towards  the  spot  where  Jasper,  the  object  of 
many  awed  glances,  stood  looking  at  the  deck,  as  if 
lost  in  a  brown  study.  Heemskirk  came  up  close,  and 
stared  at  him  thoughtfully,  with  his  fingers  over  his 
lips.  Here  he  was,  the  favoured  vagabond,  the  only 
man  to  whom  that  infernal  girl  was  likely  to  tell  the 
story.     But  he  would  not  find  it  funny.     The  story  how 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        267 

Lieutenant  Heemskirk No,  he  would  not  laugh 

at  it.  He  looked  as  though  he  would  never  laugh  at 
anything  in  his  life. 

Suddenly  Jasper  looked  up.  His  eyes,  without  any 
other  expression  but  bewilderment,  met  those  of  Heems- 
kirk, observant  and  sombre. 

"  Gone  on  the  reef !  "  he  said,  in  a  low,  astounded 
tone.  "  On  —  the  —  reef !  "  he  repeated  still  lower, 
and  as  if  attending  inwardly  to  the  birth  of  some  awful 
and  amazing  sensation. 

"  On  the  very  top  of  high-water,  spring  tides," 
Heemskirk  struck  in,  with  a  vindictive,  exulting  vio- 
lence which  flashed  and  expired.  He  paused,  as  if 
weary,  fixing  upon  Jasper  his  arrogant  eyes,  over  which 
secret  disenchantment,  the  unavoidable  shadow  of  all 
passion,  seemed  to  pass  like  a  saddening  cloud.  "  On 
the  very  top,"  he  repeated,  rousing  himself  in  fierce 
reaction  to  snatch  his  laced  cap  off  his  head  with  a 
horizontal,  derisive  flourish  towards  the  gangway. 
"  And  now  you  may  go  ashore  to  the  courts,  you 
damned  Englishman !  "  he  said. 

VI 

The  affair  of  the  brig  Bonito  was  bound  to  cause  a 
sensation  in  Makassar,  the  prettiest,  and  perhaps  the 
cleanest-looking  of  all  the  towns  in  the  Islands;  which 
however  knows  few  occasions  for  excitement.  The 
"  front,"  with  its  special  population,  was  soon  aware 
that  something  had  happened.     A  steamer  towing  a 


268  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

sailing  veseel  had  been  observed  far  out  to  sea  for  some 
time,  and  when  the  steamer  came  in  alone,  leaving  the 
other  outside,  attention  was  aroused.  Why  was  that? 
Her   masts   only   could   be   seen  —  with   furled    sails 

—  remaining  in  the  same  place  to  the  southward.  And 
soon  the  rumour  ran  all  along  the  crowded  seashore 
street  that  there  was  a  ship  on  Tamissa  reef.  That 
crowd  interpreted  the  appearance  correctly.  Its  cause 
was  beyond  their  penetration,  for  who  could  associate 
a  girl  nine  hundred  miles  away  with  the  stranding  of  a 
ship  on  Tamissa  reef,  or  look  for  the  remote  filiation 
of  that  event  in  the  psychology  of  at  least  three  people, 
even  if  one  of  them,  Lieutenant  Heemskirk,  was  at 
that  very  moment  passing  amongst  them  on  his  way 
to  make  his  verbal  report? 

No ;  the  minds  on  the  "  front "  were  not  competent 
for  that  sort  of  investigation,  but  many  hands  there 

—  brown  hands,  yellow  hands,  white  hands  —  were 
raised  to  shade  the  eyes  gazing  out  to  sea.  The 
rumour  spread  quickly.  Chinese  shopkeepers  came  to 
their  doors,  more  than  one  white  merchant,  even,  rose 
from  his  desk  to  go  to  the  window.  After  all,  a  ship 
on  Tamissa  was  not  an  everyday  occurrence.  And 
presently  the  rumour  took  a  more  definite  shape.  An 
English  trader  —  detained  on  suspicion  at  sea  by  the 
Neptun  —  Heemskirk  was  towing  him  in  to  test  a  case, 
and  by  some  strange  accident 

Later  on  the  name  came  out.  "  The  Bonito  —  what ! 
Impossible!  Yes  —  yes,  the  Bonito.  Look!  You 
can   see   from   here;    only   two   masts.     It's    a   brig. 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        269 

Didn't  think  that  man  would  ever  let  himself  be 
caught.  Heemskirk's  pretty  smart,  too.  They  say 
she's  fitted  out  in  her  cabin  like  a  gentleman's  yacht. 
That  Allen  is  a  sort  of  gentleman  too.  An  extravagant 
beggar." 

A  young  man  entered  smartly  Messrs.  Mesman 
Brothers'  office  on  the  "  front,"  bubbling  vrith  some 
further  information. 

"  Oh,  yes ;  that's  the  Bonito  for  certain !  But  you 
don't  know  the  story  I've  heard  just  now.  The  fellow 
must  have  been  feeding  that  river  with  firearms  for 
the  last  year  or  two.  Well,  it  seems  he  has  grown  so 
reckless  from  long  impunity  that  he  has  actually  dared 
to  sell  the  very  ship's  rifles  this  time.  It's  a  fact.  The 
rifles  are  not  on  board.  What  impudence!  Only,  he 
didn't  know  that  there  was  one  of  our  warships  on  the 
coast.  But  those  Englishmen  are  so  impudent  that 
perhaps  he  thought  that  nothing  would  be  done  to  him 
for  it.  Our  courts  do  let  off  these  fellows  too  often, 
on  some  miserable  excuse  or  other.  But,  at  any  rate, 
there's  an  end  of  the  famous  Bonito.  I  have  just  heard 
in  the  harbour-office  that  she  must  have  gone  on  at  the 
very  top  of  high-water;  and  she  is  in  ballast,  too.  I^o 
human  power,  they  think,  can  move  her  from  where 
she  is.  I  only  hope  it  is  so.  It  would  be  fine  to  have 
the  notorious  Bonito  stuck  up  there  as  a  warning  to 
others." 

Mr.  J.  Mesman,  a  colonial-born  Dutchman,  a  kind, 
paternal  old  fellow,  with  a  clean-shaven,  quiet,  hand- 
some face,  and  a  head  of  fine  iron-grey  hair  curling  a 


270  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

little  on  his  collar,  did  not  say  a  word  in  defence  of 
Jasper  and  the  Bonito,  He  rose  from  his  arm-chair 
suddenly.  His  face  was  visibly  troubled.  It  had  so 
happened  that  once,  from  a  business  talk  of  ways  and 
means,  island  trade,  money  matters,  and  so  on,  Jasper 
had  been  led  to  open  himself  to  him  on  the  subject  of 
Freya;  and  the  excellent  man,  who  had  known  old 
Nelson  years  before  and  even  remembered  something 
of  Freya,  was  much  astonished  and  amused  by  the  un- 
folding of  the  tale. 

"  Well,  well,  well !  Nelson !  Yes ;  of  course.  A 
very  honest  sort  of  man.  And  a  little  child  with  very 
fair  hair.  Oh,  yes]  I  have  a  distinct  recollection. 
And  so  she  has  grown  into  such  a  fine  girl,  so  very 

determined,    so   very '^     And  he   laughed    almost 

boisterously.  "  Mind,  when  you  have  happily  eloped 
with  your  future  wife.  Captain  Allen,  you  must  come 
along  this  way,  and  we  shall  welcome  her  here.  A 
little  fair-headed  child!     I  remember.     I  remember." 

It  was  that  knowledge  which  had  brought  trouble  to 
his  face  at  the  first  news  of  the  wreck.  He  took  up 
his  hat. 

"  Where  are  you  going,  Mr.  Mesman  ?  " 

"  I  am  going  to  look  for  Allen.  I  think  he  must  be 
ashore.     Does  anybody  know  ?  " 

No  one  of  those  present  knew.  And  Mr.  Mesman 
went  out  on  the  "  front "  to  make  inquiries. 

The  other  part  of  the  town,  the  part  near  the  church 
and  the  fort,  got  its  information  in  another  way.  The 
first  thing  disclosed  to  it  was  Jasper  himself,  walking 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        271 

rapidly,  as  though  he  were  pursued.  And,  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  a  Chinaman,  obviously  a  sampan  man,  was 
following  him  at  the  same  headlong  pace.  Suddenly, 
while  passing  Orange  House,  Jasper  swerved  and  went 
in,  or,  rather,  rushed  in,  startling  Gomez,  the  hotel 
clerk,  very  much.  But  a  Chinaman  beginning  to  make 
an  unseemly  noise  at  the  door  claimed  the  immediate 
attention  of  Gomez.  His  grievance  was  that  the  white 
man  whom  he  had  brought  on  shore  from  the  gunboat 
had  not  paid  him  his  boat-fare.  He  had  pursued  him 
so  far,  asking  for  it  all  the  way.  But  the  white  man 
had  taken  no  notice  whatever  of  his  just  claim.  Gomez 
satisfied  the  cooKe  with  a  few  coppers,  and  then  went 
to  look  for  Jasper,  whom  he  knew  very  well.  He 
found  him  standing  stiffly  by  a  little  round  table.  At 
the  other  end  of  the  verandah  a  few  men  sitting  there 
had  stopped  talking,  and  were  looking  at  him  in  silence. 
Two  billiard-players,  with  cues  in  their  hands,  had 
come  to  the  door  of  the  billiard-room  and  stared,  too. 

On  Gomez  coming  up  to  him,  Jasper  raised  one  hand 
to  point  at  his  own  throat.  Gomez  noted  the  some- 
what soiled  state  of  his  white  clothes,  then  took  one 
look  at  his  face,  and  fled  away  to  order  the  drink  for 
which  Jasper  seemed  to  be  asking. 

Where  he  wanted  to  go  —  for  what  purpose  —  where 
he,  perhaps,  only  imagined  himself  to  be  going,  when 
a  sudden  impulse  or  the  sight  of  a  familiar  place  had 
made  him  turn  into  Orange  House  —  it  is  impossible  to 
say.  He  was  steadying  himself  lightly  with  the  tips  of 
his  fingers  on  the  little  table.     There  were  on  that 


272  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

verandah  two  men  whom  he  knew  well  personally,  but 
his  gaze  roaming  incessantly  as  though  he  were  looking 
for  a  way  of  escape,  passed  and  repassed  over  them 
without  a  sign  of  recognition.  They,  on  their  side, 
looking  at  him,  doubted  the  evidence  of  their  own  eyes. 
It  was  not  that  his  face  was  distorted.  On  the  contrary, 
it  was  still,  it  was  set  But  its  expression,  somehow, 
was  unrecognisable.  Can  that  be  him  ?  they  wondered 
with  awe. 

In  his  head  there  was  a  wild  chaos  of  clear  thoughts. 
Perfectly  clear.  It  was  this  clearness  which  was  so 
terrible  in  conjunction  with  the  utter  inability  to  lay 
hold  of  any  single  one  of  them  all.  He  was  saying  to 
himself,  or  to  them :  "  Steady,  steady.''  A  China  boy 
appeared  before  him  with  a  glass  on  a  tray.  He  poured 
the  drink  down  his  throat,  and  rushed  out.  His  dis- 
appearance removed  the  spell  of  wonder  from  the  be- 
holders. One  of  the  men  jumped  up  and  moved 
quickly  to  that  side  of  the  verandah  from  which  almost 
the  whole  of  the  roadstead  could  be  seen.  At  the  very 
moment  when  Jasper,  issuing  from  the  door  of  the 
Orange  House,  was  passing  under  him  in  the  street 
below,  he  cried  to  the  others  excitedly: 

"  That  was  Allen  right  enough  I  But  where  is  his 
brig?" 

Jasper  heard  these  words  with  extraordinary  loud- 
ness. The  heavens  rang  with  them,  as  if  calling  him 
to  account ;  for  those  were  the  very  words  Freya  would 
have  to  use.  It  was  an  annihilating  question ;  it  struck 
his   consciousness  like   a   thunderbolt   and   brought   a 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES         273 

sudden  night  upon  the  chaos  of  his  thoughts  even  as 
he  walked.  He  did  not  check  his  pace.  He  went  on 
in  the  darkness  for  another  three  strides,  and  then 
fell. 

The  good  Mesman  had  to  push  on  as  far  as  the 
hospital  before  he  found  him.  The  doctor  there  talked 
of  a  slight  heatstroke.  Nothing  very  much.  Out  in 
three  days.  ...  It  must  be  admitted  that  the  doctor 
was  right.  In  three  days,  Jasper  Allen  came  out  of 
the  hospital  and  became  visible  to  the  to\vn  —  very 
visible  indeed  —  and  remained  so  for  quite  a  long  time ; 
long  enough  to  become  almost  one  of  the  sights  of  the 
place ;  long  enough  to  become  disregarded  at  last ;  long 
enough  for  the  tale  of  his  haunting  visibility  to  be  re- 
membered in  the  islands  to  this  day. 

The  talk  on  the  "  front "  and  Jasper's  appearance  in 
the  Orange  House  stand  at  the  beginning  of  the  fa- 
mous Bonito  case,  and  give  a  view  of  its  two  aspects 
—  the  practical  and  the  psychological.  The  case  for 
the  courts  and  the  case  for  compassion;  that  last  ter- 
ribly evident  and  yet  obscure. 

It  has,  you  must  understand,  remained  obscure  even 
for  that  friend  of  mine  who  wrote  me  the  letter  men- 
tioned  in  the  very  first  lines  of  this  narrative.  He 
was  one  of  those  in  Mr.  Mesman's  office,  and  accom- 
panied that  gentleman  in  his  search  for  Jasper.  His 
letter  described  to  me  the  two  aspects  and  some  of  the 
episodes  of  the  case.  Heemskirk's  attitude  was  that  of 
deep  thankfulness  for  not  having  lost  his  own  ship,  and 
that  was  all.     Haze  over  the  land  was  his  explanation 


274  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

of  having  got  so  close  to  Tamissa  reef.  He  saved  his 
ship,  and  for  the  rest  he  did  not  care.  As  to  the  fat 
gunner,  he  deposed  simply  that  he  thought  at  the  time 
that  he  was  acting  for  the  best  by  letting  go  the  tow- 
rope,  but  admitted  that  he  was  greatly  confused  by 
the  suddenness  of  the  emergency. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  he  had  acted  on  very  precise 
instructions  from  Heemskirk,  to  whom  through  sev- 
eral years'  service  together  in  the  East  he  had  become 
a  sort  of  devoted  henchman.  What  was  most  amazing 
in  the  detention  of  the  BonUo  was  his  story  how,  pro- 
ceeding to  take  possession  of  the  firearms  as  ordered, 
he  discovered  that  there  were  no  firearms  on  board. 
All  he  found  in  the  fore-cabin  was  an  empty  rack  for 
the  proper  number  of  eighteen  rifles,  but  of  the  rifles 
themselves  never  a  single  one  any^vhere  in  the  ship. 
The  mate  of  the  brig,  who  looked  rather  ill  and  behaved 
excitedly,  as  though  he  were  perhaps  a  lunatic,  wanted 
him  to  believe  that  Captain  Allen  knew  nothing  of 
this;  that  it  was  he,  the  mate,  who  had  recently  sold 
these  rifles  in  the  dead  of  night  to  a  certain  person  up 
the  river.  In  proof  of  this  story  he  produced  a  bag  of 
silver  dollars  and  pressed  it  on  his,  the  gunner's, 
acceptance.  Then,  suddenly  flinging  it  down  on  the 
deck,  he  beat  his  own  head  with  both  his  fists  and 
started  heaping  shocking  curses  upon  his  own  soul  for 
an  ungrateful  wretch  not  fit  to  live. 

All  this  the  gunner  reported  at  once  to  his  com- 
manding officer. 

What  Heemskirk  intended  by  taking  upon  himself  to 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        275 

detain  the  Bonito  it  is  difficult  to  say,  except  that  he 
meant  to  bring  some  trouble  into  the  life  of  the  man 
favoured  by  Freya.  He  had  been  looking  at  Jasper 
with  a  desire  to  strike  that  man  of  kisses  and  embraces 
to  the  earth.  The  question  was:  How  could  he  do  it 
without  giving  himself  away?  But  the  report  of  the 
gunner  created  a  serious  case  enough.  Yet  Allen  had 
friends  —  and  who  could  tell  whether  he  wouldn't  some- 
how succeed  in  wriggling  out  of  it  ?  The  idea  of  simply 
towing  the  brig  so  much  compromised  on  to  the  reef 
came  to  him  while  he  was  listening  to  the  fat  gunner 
in  his  cabin.  There  was  but  little  risk  of  being  dis- 
approved now.  And  it  should  be  made  to  appear  an 
accident. 

Going  out  on  deck  he  had  gloated  upon  his  un- 
conscious victim  with  such  a  sinister  roll  of  his  eyes, 
such  a  queerly  pursed  mouth,  that  Jasper  could  not 
help  smiling.  And  the  lieutenant  had  gone  on  the 
bridge,  saying  to  himself: 

"  You  wait !  I  shall  spoil  the  taste  of  those  sweet 
kisses  for  you.  When  you  hear  of  Lieutenant  Heems- 
kirk  in  the  future  that  name  won't  bring  a  smile  on 
your  lips,  I  swear.     You  are  delivered  into  my  hands." 

And  this  possibility  had  come  about  without  any 
planning,  one  could  almost  say  naturally,  as  if  events 
had  mysteriously  shaped  themselves  to  fit  the  purposes 
of  a  dark  passion.  The  most  astute  scheming  could 
not  have  served  Heemskirk  better.  It  was  given  to 
him  to  taste  a  transcendental,  an  incredible  perfection 
of  vengeance;  to  strike  a  deadly  blow  into  that  hated 


276  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

person's  heart,  and  to  watch  him  afterwards  walking 
about  with  the  dagger  in  his  breast. 

For  that  is  what  the  state  of  Jasper  amounted  to. 
He  moved,  acted,  weary-eyed,  keen-faced,  lank  and 
restless,  with  brusque  movements  and  fierce  gestures; 
he  talked  incessantly  in  a  frenzied  and  fatigued  voice, 
but  within  himself  he  knew  that  nothing  would  ever 
give  him  back  the  brig,  just  as  nothing  can  heal  a 
pierced  heart.  His  soul,  kept  quiet  in  the  stress  of 
love  by  the  unflinching  Freya's  influence,  was  like  a 
still  but  overwound  string.  The  shock  had  started 
it  vibrating,  and  the  string  had  snapped.  He  had 
waited  for  two  years  in  a  perfectly  intoxicated  con- 
fidence for  a  day  that  now  would  never  come  to  a 
man  disarmed  for  life  by  the  loss  of  the  brig,  and,  it 
seemed  to  him,  made  unfit  for  love  to  which  he  had  no 
foothold  to  offer. 

Day  after  day  he  would  traverse  the  length  of  the 
town,  follow  the  coast,  and,  reaching  the  point  of  land 
opposite  that  part  of  the  reef  on  which  his  brig  lay 
stranded,  look  steadily  across  the  water  at  her  beloved 
form,  once  the  home  of  an  exulting  hope,  and  now,  in 
her  inclined,  desolated  immobility,  towering  above  the 
lonely  sea-horizon,  a  symbol  of  despair. 

The  crew  had  left  her  in  due  course  in  her  own  boats 
which  directly  they  reached  the  town  were  sequestrated 
by  the  harbour  authorities.  The  vessel,  too,  was 
sequestrated  pending  proceedings;  but  these  same  au- 
thorities did  not  take  the  trouble  to  set  a  guard  on 
board.     For,  indeed,  what  could  move  her  from  there? 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        277 

Nothing,  unless  a  miracle;  nothing,  unless  Jasper's 
eyes,  fastened  on  her  tensely  for  hours  together,  as 
though  he  hoped  by  the  mere  power  of  vision  to  draw 
her  to  his  breast. 

All  this  story,  read  in  my  friend's  very  chatty  letter, 
dismayed  me  not  a  little.  But  it  was  really  appal- 
ling to  read  his  relation  of  how  Schultz,  the  mate, 
went  about  everywhere  affirming  with  desperate  per- 
tinacity that  it  was  he  alone  who  had  sold  the  rifles. 
"  I  stole  them/'  he  protested.  Of  course,  no  one  would 
believe  him.  My  friend  himself  did  not  believe  him, 
though  he,  of  course,  admired  this  self-sacrifice.  But  a 
good  many  people  thought  it  was  going  too  far  to  make 
oneself  out  a  thief  for  the  sake  of  a  friend.  Only,  it 
was  such  an  obvious  lie,  too,  that  it  did  not  matter, 
perhaps. 

I,  who,  in  view  of  Schultz's  psychology,  knew  how 
true  that  must  be,  admit  that  I  was  appalled.  So  this 
was  how  a  perfidious  destiny  took  advantage  of  a  gen- 
erous impulse!  And  I  felt  as  though  I  were  an  ac- 
complice in  this  perfidy,  since  I  did  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent encourage  Jasper.  Yet  I  had  warned  him  as 
well. 

"  The  man  seemed  to  have  gone  crazy  on  this  point," 
wrote  my  friend.  "  He  went  to  Mesman  with  his 
story.  He  says  that  some  rascally  white  man  living 
amongst  the  natives  up  that  river  made  him  drunk  with 
some  gin  one  evening,  and  then  jeered  at  him  for  never 
having  any  money.  Then  he,  protesting  to  us  that  he 
was  an  honest  man  and  must  be  believed,   described 


278  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

himself  as  being  a  thief  whenever  he  took  a  drop  too 
much,  and  told  us  that  he  went  on  board  and  passed  the 
rifles  one  by  one  without  the  slightest  compunction  to  a 
canoe  which  came  alongside  that  night,  receiving  ten 
dollars  apiece  for  them. 

"  Next  day  he  was  ill  with  shame  and  grief,  but 
had  not  the  courage  to  confess  his  lapse  to  his  bene- 
factor. When  the  gunboat  stopped  the  brig  he  felt 
ready  to  die  with  the  apprehension  of  the  consequences, 
and  w^ould  have  died  happily,  if  he  could  have  been 
able  to  bring  the  rifles  back  by  the  sacrifice  of  his  life. 
He  said  nothing  to  Jasper,  hoping  that  the  brig  would 
be  released  presently.  When  it  turned  out  otherwise 
and  his  captain  was  detained  on  board  the  gunboat, 
he  was  ready  to  commit  suicide  from  despair;  only  he 
thought  it  his  duty  to  live  in  order  to  let  the  truth  be 
known.  *  I  am  an  honest  man !  I  am  an  honest  man ! ' 
he  repeated,  in  a  voice  that  brought  tears  to  our  eyes. 
*  You  must  believe  me  when  I  tell  you  that  I  am  a 
thief  —  a  vile,  low,  cunning,  sneaking  thief  as  soon  as 
I've  had  a  glass  or  two.  Take  me  somewhere  where  I 
may  tell  the  truth  on  oath.' 

"  When  we  had  at  last  convinced  him  that  his  story 
could  be  of  no  use  to  Jasper  —  for  what  Dutch  court, 
having  once  got  hold  of  an  English  trader,  would  ac- 
cept such  an  explanation;  and,  indeed,  how,  when, 
where  could  one  hope  to  find  proofs  of  such  a  tale  ?  — 
he  made  as  if  to  tear  his  hair  in  handfuls,  but,  calming 
down,  said :  '  Good-bye,  then,  gentlemen,'  and  went  out 
of  the  room  so  crushed  that  he  seemed  hardly  able  to 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVE:N^  ISLES        279 

put  one  foot  before  the  other.  That  very  night  he  com- 
mitted suicide  by  cutting  his  throat  in  the  house  of  a 
half-caste  with  whom  he  had  been  lodging  since  he  came 
ashore  from  the  wreck." 

That  throat,  I  thought  with  a  shudder,  which  could 
produce  the  tender,  persuasive,  manly,  but  fascinating 
voice  which  had  aroused  Jasper's  ready  compassion  and 
had  secured  Freya's  sympathy!  Who  could  ever  have 
supposed  such  an  end  in  store  for  the  impossible,  gentle 
Schultz,  with  his  idosyncrasy  of  naive  pilfering,  so 
absurdly  straightforward  that,  even  in  the  people  who 
had  suffered  from  it,  it  aroused  nothing  more  than  a 
sort  of  amused  exasperation  ?  He  was  really  impos- 
sible. His  lot  evidently  should  have  been  a  half- 
starved,  mysterious,  but  by  no  means  tragic  existence 
as  a  mild-eyed,  inoffensive  beachcomber  on  the  fringe 
of  native  life.  There  are  occasions  when  the  irony  of 
fate,  which  some  people  profess  to  discover  in  the  work- 
ing out  of  our  lives,  wears  the  aspect  of  crude  and  sav- 
age jesting. 

I  shook  my  head  over  the  manes  of  Schultz,  and  went 
on  with  my  friend's  letter.  It  told  me  how  the  brig 
on  the  reef,  looted  by  the  natives  from  the  coast  vil- 
lages, acquired  gradually  the  lamentable  aspect,  the 
grey  ghostliness  of  a  wreck ;  while  Jasper,  fading  daily 
into  a  mere  shadow  of  a  man,  strode  brusquely  all  along 
the  "  front  "  with  horribly  lively  eyes  and  a  faint,  fixed 
smile  on  his  lips,  to  spend  the  day  on  a  lonely  spit  of 
sand  looking  eagerly  at  her,  as  though  he  had  expected 
some  shape  on  board  to  rise  up  and  make  some  sort  of 


280  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

sign  to  him  over  the  decaying  bulwarks.  The  Mesmans 
were  taking  care  of  him  as  far  as  it  was  possible.  The 
Bonito  case  had  been  referred  to  Batavia,  where  no 
doubt  it  would  fade  away  in  a  fog  of  official  papers. 
...  It  was  heartrending  to  read  all  this.  That  ac- 
tive and  zealous  officer,  Lieutenant  Heemskirk,  his  air 
of  sullen,  darkly-pained  self-importance  not  lightened 
by  the  approval  of  his  action  conveyed  to  him  unoffi- 
cially, had  gone  on  to  take  up  his  station  in  the 
Moluccas.  ... 

Then,  at  the  end  of  the  bulky,  kindly-meant  epistle, 
dealing  with  the  island  news  of  half  a  year  at  least,  my 
friend  wrote:  "A  couple  of  months  ago  old  Nelson 
turned  up  here,  arriving  by  the  mail-boat  from  Java. 
Came  to  see  Mesman,  it  seems.  A  rather  mysterious 
visit,  and  extraordinarily  short,  after  coming  all  that 
way.  He  stayed  just  four  days  at  the  Orange  House, 
with  apparently  nothing  in  particular  to  do,  and  then 
caught  the  south-going  steamer  for  the  Straits.  I  re- 
member people  saying  at  one  time  that  Allen  was 
rather  sw^eet  on  old  Nelson's  daughter,  the  girl  that 
was  brought  up  by  Mrs.  Harley  and  then  went  to  live 
with  him  at  the  Seven  Isles  group.  Surely  you  remem- 
ber old  Nelson " 

Eemember  old  Nelson!     Rather  I 

The  letter  went  on  to  inform  me  further  that  old 
Nelson,  at  least,  remembered  me,  since  some  time  after 
his  flying  visit  to  Makassar  he  had  v^rritten  to  the  Mes- 
mans asking  for  my  address  in  London. 

That  old  Nelson  (or  Nielsen),  the  note  of  whose 


FREYA  OF  THE  SEVEK  ISLES        281 

personality  was  a  profound,  echoless  irresponsiveness 
to  everything  around  him,  should  wish  to  write,  or  find 
anything  to  write  about  to  anybody,  was  in  itself  a 
cause  for  no  small  wonder.  And  to  me,  of  all  people ! 
I  waited  with  uneasy  impatience  for  whatever  dis- 
closure could  come  from  that  naturally  benighted  in- 
telligence, but  my  impatience  had  time  to  wear  out 
before  my  eyes  beheld  old  IJTelson's  trembling,  pain- 
fully-formed handwriting,  senile  and  childish  at  the 
same  time,  on  an  envelope  bearing  a  penny  stamp  and 
the  postal  mark  of  the  ^N'otting  Hill  offica  I  delayed 
opening  it  in  order  to  pay  the  tribute  of  astonishment 
due  to  the  event  by  flinging  my  hands  above  my  head. 
So  he  had  come  home  to  England,  to  be  definitely 
Nelson;  or  else  was  on  his  way  home  to  Denmark, 
where  he  would  revert  for  ever  to  his  original  Nielsen ! 
But  old  Nelson  (or  Nielsen)  out  of  the  tropics  seemed 
unthinkable.  And  yet  he  was  there,  asking  me  to 
call. 

His  address  was  at  a  boarding-house  in  one  of  those 
Bayswater  squares,  once  of  leisure,  which  nowadays  are 
reduced  to  earning  their  living.  Somebody  had  rec- 
ommended him  there.  I  started  to  call  on  him  on  one 
of  those  January  days  in  London,  one  of  those  wintry 
days  composed  of  the  four  devilisb  elements,  cold,  wet, 
mud,  and  grime,  combined  with  a  particular  stickiness 
of  atmosphere  that  clings  like  an  unclean  garment  to 
one's  very  soul.  Yet  on  approaching  his  abode  I  saw, 
like  a  flicker  far  behind  the  soiled  veil  of  the  four  ele- 
ments, the  wearisome  and  splendid  glitter  of  a  blue 


282  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

sea  with  the  Seven  Islets  like  minute  specks  swimming 
in  my  eye,  the  high  red  roof  of  the  bungalow  crowning 
the  very  smallest  of  them  all.  This  visual  reminis- 
cence was  profoundly  disturbing.  I  knocked  at  the 
door  with  a  faltering  hand. 

Old  Nelson  (or  Nielsen)  got  up  from  the  table  at 
which  he  was  sitting  with  a  shabby  pocket-book  full 
of  papers  before  him.  He  took  off  his  spectacles  before 
shaking  hands.  For  a  moment  neither  of  us  said  a 
word;  then,  noticing  me  looking  round  somewhat  ex- 
pectantly, he  murmured  some  words,  of  which  I  caught 
only  "  daughter "  and  "  Hong  Kong,"  cast  his  eyes 
down,  and  sighed. 

His  moustache,  sticking  all  ways  out,  as  of  yore,  was 
quite  white  now.  His  old  cheeks  were  softly  rounded, 
with  some  colour  in  them ;  strangely  enough,  that  some- 
thing childlike  always  noticeable  in  the  general  con- 
tour of  his  physiognomy  had  become  much  more 
marked.  Like  his  handwriting,  he  looked  childish  and 
senile.  He  showed  his  age  most  in  his  unintelligently 
furrowed,  anxious  forehead  and  in  his  round,  innocent 
eyes,  which  appeared  to  me  weak  and  blinking  and 
watery ;  or  was  it  that  they  were  full  of  tears  ?  .  .  . 

To  discover  old  Nelson  fully  informed  upon  any 
matter  whatever  was  a  new  experience.  And  after  the 
first  awkwardness  had  worn  off  he  talked  freely,  with, 
now  and  then,  a  question  to  start  him  going  whenever  he 
lapsed  into  silence,  which  he  would  do  suddenly,  clasp- 
ing his  hands  on  his  waistcoat  in  an  attitude  which 


TREYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        283 

would  recall  to  me  the  east  verandah,  where  he  used 
to  sit  talking  quietly  and  puffing  out  his  cheeks  in  what 
seemed  now  old,  very  old  days.  He  talked  in  a  rea- 
sonable, somewhat  anxious  tone. 

"  'No,  no.  We  did  not  know  anything  for  weeks. 
Out  of  the  way  like  that,  we  couldn't,  of  course.  No 
mail  service  to  the  Seven  Isles.  But  one  day  I  ran 
over  to  Banka  in  my  big  sailing-boat  to  see  whether 
there  were  any  letters,  and  saw  a  Dutch  paper.  But  it 
looked  only  like  a  bit  of  marine  news:  English  brig 
Bonito  gone  ashore  outside  Makassar  roads.  That  was 
all.  I  took  the  paper  home  with  me  and  showed  it  to 
her.  *  I  will  never  forgive  him ! '  she  cries  with  her 
old  spirit.  ^  My  dear,'  I  said,  '  you  are  a  sensible  girl. 
The  best  man  may  lose  a  ship.  But  what  about  your 
health  ? '  I  was  beginning  to  be  frightened  at  her 
looks.  She  would  not  let  me  talk  even  of  going  to 
Singapore  before.  But,  really,  such  a  sensible  girl 
couldn't  keep  on  objecting  for  ever.  ^  Do  what  you 
like,  papa,'  she  says.  Rather  a  job,  that.  Had  to 
catch  a  steamer  at  sea,  but  I  got  her  over  all  right. 
There,  doctors,  of  course.  Eever.  Anaemia.  Put  her 
to  bed.  Two  or  three  women  very  kind  to  her.  Nat- 
urally in  our  papers  the  whole  story  came  out  before 
long.  She  reads  it  to  the  end,  lying  on  the  couch; 
then  hands  the  newspaper  back  to  me,  whispers  *  Heems- 
kirk,'  and  goes  off  into  a  faint." 

He  blinked  at  me  for  quite  a  long  time,  his  eyes 
running  full  of  tears  again. 


284  'TWIXT  LAOT)  AND  SEA 

"  'Rext  day,"  he  began,  without  any  emotion  in  his 
voice,  "she  felt  stronger,  and  we  had  a  long  talk. 
She  told  me  everything." 

Here  old  Nelson,  with  his  eyes  cast  down,  gave  me 
the  whole  story  of  the  Heemskirk  episode  in  Freya's 
words;  then  went  on  in  his  rather  jerky  utterance, 
and  looking  up  innocently : 

"  '  My  dear,'  I  said,  '  you  have  behaved  in  the  main 
like  a  sensible  girl.'  *  I  have  been  horrid,'  she  cries, 
*  and  he  is  breaking  his  heart  over  there.'  Well,  she 
was  too  sensible  not  to  see  she  wasn't  in  a  state  to 
travel.  But  I  went.  She  told  me  to  go.  She  was 
being  looked  after  very  well.  Anaemia.  Getting  bet- 
ter, they  said." 

He  paused. 

"  You  did  see  him  ?  "  I  murmured. 

"  Oh,  yes ;  I  did  see  him,"  he  started  again,  talking 
in  that  reasonable  voice  as  though  he  were  arguing  a 
point.  "  I  did  see  him.  I  came  upon  him.  Eyes 
sunk  an  inch  into  his  head;  nothing  but  skin  on  the 
bones  of  his  face,  a  skeleton  in  dirty  white  clothes. 
That's  what  he  looked  like.  How  Freya  .  .  .  But 
she  never  did  —  not  really.  He  was  sitting  there,  the 
only  live  thing  for  miles  along  that  coast,  on  a  drift- 
log  washed  up  on  the  shore.  They  had  clipped  his  hair 
in  the  hospital,  and  it  had  not  grown  again.  He  stared, 
holding  his  chin  in  his  hand,  and  with  nothing  on  the 
sea  between  him  and  the  sky  but  that  wreck.  When 
I  came  up  to  him  he  just  moved  his  head  a  bit.  '  Is 
that  you,  old  man  ? '  says  he  —  like  that 


FKEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        285 

"  If  you  had  seen  him  you  would  have  understood 
at  once  how  impossible  it  was  for  Freya  to  have  ever 
loved  that  man.  Well,  well.  I  don't  say.  She  might 
have  —  something.  She  was  lonely,  you  know.  But 
really  to  go  away  with  him !  Kever !  Madness,  She 
was  too  sensible  ...  I  began  to  reproach  him  gently. 
And  by  and  by  he  turns  on  me.  '  Write  to  you !  What 
about  ?  Come  to  her !  What  with  ?  If  I  had  been  a 
man  I  would  have  carried  her  off,  but  she  made  a  child, 
a  happy  child,  of  me.  Tell  her  that  the  day  the  only 
thing  I  had  belonging  to  me  in  the  world  perished  on 
this  reef  I  discovered  that  I  had  no  power  over  her. 
.  .  .  Has  she  come  here  with  you  ? '  he  shouts,  blazing 
at  me  suddenly  with  his  hollow  eyes.  I  shook  my 
head.  Come  with  me,  indeed !  Ansemia !  '  Aha ! 
You  see  ?  Go  away,  then,  old  man,  and  leave  me  alone 
here  with  that  ghost,'  he  says,  jerking  his  head  at  the 
wreck  of  his  brig. 

"  Mad !  It  was  getting  dusk.  I  did  not  care  to 
stop  any  longer  all  by  myself  with  that  man  in  that 
lonely  place.  I  was  not  going  to  tell  him  of  Ereya's 
illness.  Anaemia !  What  was  the  good  ?  Mad !  And 
what  sort  of  husband  would  he  have  made,  anyhow, 
for  a  sensible  girl  like  Freya?  Why,  even  my  little 
property  I  could  not  have  left  them.  The  Dutch  au- 
thorities would  never  have  allowed  an  Englishman  to 
settle  there.  It  was  not  sold  then.  My  man  Mahmat, 
you  know,  was  looking  after  it  for  me.  Later  on  I  let 
it  go  for  a  tenth  of  its  value  to  a  Dutch  half-caste.  But 
never  mind.     It  was  nothing  to  me  then.     Yes ;  I  went 


286  'TWIXT  LAND  AND  SEA 

away  from  him.  I  caught  the  return  mail-boat.  I 
told  everything  to  Freya.  '  He's  mad,'  I  said ;  ^  and, 
my  dear,  the  only  thing  he  loved  was  his  brig.' 

"  ^  Perhaps/  she  says  to  herself,  looking  straight 
away  —  her  eyes  were  nearly  as  hollow  as  his  — ^  per- 
haps it  is  true.  Yes!  I  would  never  allow  him  any 
power  over  me.' " 

Old  Nelson  paused.  I  sat  fascinated,  and  feeling  a 
little  cold  in  that  room  with  a  blazing  fire. 

"  So  you  see,"  he  continued,  "  she  never  really  cared 
for  him.  Much  too  sensible.  I  took  her  away  to 
Hong  Kong.  Change  of  climate,  they  said.  Oh,  these 
doctors!  My  God!  Winter  time!  There  came  .ten 
days  of  cold  mists  and  wind  and  rain.  Pneumonia. 
But  look  here!  We  talked  a  lot  together.  Days  and 
evenings.  Who  else  had  she?  .  .  .  She  talked  a  lot 
to  me,  my  own  girl.  Sometimes  she  would  laugh  a 
little.     Look  at  me  and  laugh  a  little " 

I  shuddered.  He  looked  up  vaguely,  with  a  childish, 
puzzled  moodiness. 

"  She  would  say :  *  I  did  not  really  mean  to  be  a  bad 
daughter  to  you,  papa.'  And  I  would  say :  *  Of  course, 
my  dear.  You  could  not  have  meant  it.'  She  would 
lie  quiet  and  then  say :  *  I  wonder  ? '  And  sometimes, 
'  I've  been  really  a  coward,'  she  would  tell  me.  You 
know,  sick  people  they  say  things.  And  so  she  would 
say  too ;  *  I've  been  conceited,  headstrong,  capricious. 
I  sought  my  own  gratification.  I  was  selfish  or  afraid.' 
.  .  .  But  sick  people,  you  know,  they  say  anything. 
And  once,  after  lying  silent  almost  all  day,  she  said: 


FEEYA  OF  THE  SEVEN  ISLES        287 

'Yes;  perhaps,  when  the  day  came  I  would  not  have 
gone.  Perhaps !  I  don't  know/  she  cried.  *  Draw 
the  curtain,  papa.  Shut  the  sea  out.  It  reproaches  me 
with  my  folly.'  "     He  gasped  and  paused. 

"  So  you  see,"  he  went  on  in  a  murmur.  "  Very  ill, 
very  ill  indeed.  Pneumonia.  Very  sudden."  He 
pointed  his  finger  at  the  carpet,  while  the  thought  of 
the  poor  girl,  vanquished  in  her  struggle  with  three 
men's  absurdities,  and  coming  at  last  to  doubt  her  own 
self,  held  me  in  a  very  anguish  of  pity. 

"  You  see  yourself,"  he  began  again  in  a  downcast 
manner.  "  She  could  not  have  really  .  .  .  She  men- 
tioned you  several  times.  Good  friend.  Sensible  man. 
So  I  wanted  to  tell  you  myself  —  let  you  know  the 
truth.  A  fellow  like  that!  How  could  it  be?  She 
was  lonely.  And  perhaps  for  a  while  .  .  .  Mere  noth- 
ing. There  could  never  have  been  a  question  of  love 
for  my  Freya  —  such  a  sensible  girl " 

"  Man !  "  I  cried,  rising  upon  him  wrathfully,  "  don't 
you  see  that  she  died  of  it  ?  " 

He  got  up  too.  "  !N'o !  no ! "  he  stammered,  as  if 
angry.  "  The  doctors !  Pneumonia.  Low  state. 
The  inflammation  of  the  .  .  .  They  told  me. 
Pneu " 

He  did  not  finish  the  word.  It  ended  in  a  sob.  He 
flung  his  arms  out  in  a  gesture  of  despair,  giving  up 
his  ghastly  pretence  with  a  low,  heartrending  cry: 

"  And  I  thought  that  she  was  so  sensible !  " 

THE    END 


